(bongo music)
(bongo music)

- [Narrator] This is a story about
- [Narrator] This is a story about

a puzzle called Kryptos
a puzzle called Kryptos

and one woman who's spent almost two decades trying
and one woman who's spent almost two decades trying

to solve it.
to solve it.

(upbeat music)
(upbeat music)

(comical music)
(comical music)

In the heart of the CIA headquarters lies a mystery.
In the heart of the CIA headquarters lies a mystery.

OK, probably more than one mystery,
OK, probably more than one mystery,

but, this one is weird because it's meant to be solved.
but, this one is weird because it's meant to be solved.

It's a sculpture containing an encoded message
It's a sculpture containing an encoded message

that's a challenge to the CIA employees;
that's a challenge to the CIA employees;

but, for 30 years, no one has been able
but, for 30 years, no one has been able

to figure out what it says.
to figure out what it says.

If anyone's got a shot, it's Elonka Dunin.
If anyone's got a shot, it's Elonka Dunin.

I mean, just listen to her.
I mean, just listen to her.

- When my friends and family ask me
- When my friends and family ask me

what I want for Christmas,
what I want for Christmas,

I tell them to get several puzzles,
I tell them to get several puzzles,

mix all the pieces together
mix all the pieces together

and then, just give me a bag of pieces.
and then, just give me a bag of pieces.

I enjoy seeing order come out of chaos.
I enjoy seeing order come out of chaos.

- [Narrator] When Elonka's not solving jigsaw puzzles,
- [Narrator] When Elonka's not solving jigsaw puzzles,

she's cracking codes and she's good at it.
she's cracking codes and she's good at it.

The Da Vinci Code's author even named
The Da Vinci Code's author even named

a character after her, Nola Kaye.
a character after her, Nola Kaye.

I mean, it's an anagram,
I mean, it's an anagram,

but, you know, that's the kind of thing puzzle people do.
but, you know, that's the kind of thing puzzle people do.

One day, Elonka ran into a code that finally stumped her.
One day, Elonka ran into a code that finally stumped her.

- I first heard about Kryptos, I think, in late 2000.
- I first heard about Kryptos, I think, in late 2000.

It is about 12 feet tall and 20 feet long.
It is about 12 feet tall and 20 feet long.

It has thousands of characters carved into it.
It has thousands of characters carved into it.

Kryptos has four codes in it.
Kryptos has four codes in it.

Three of the four have been solved.
Three of the four have been solved.

The fourth has not been solved and it is considered
The fourth has not been solved and it is considered

to be one of the most famous unsolved codes of the world.
to be one of the most famous unsolved codes of the world.

Here we are going on 30 years,
Here we are going on 30 years,

and it still hasn't been cracked.
and it still hasn't been cracked.

Elonka and cryptanalysts around the world
Elonka and cryptanalysts around the world

have tried every technique in the book,
have tried every technique in the book,

polyalphabetic substitution, transposition,
polyalphabetic substitution, transposition,

Playfair, binary, Morse,
Playfair, binary, Morse,

but, the fourth code only 97 characters long,
but, the fourth code only 97 characters long,

it doesn't give an inch.
it doesn't give an inch.

It just sits there, right in front of us, unsolved.
It just sits there, right in front of us, unsolved.

- So, it raises a question of why.
- So, it raises a question of why.

Why is it that this artist, Jim Sanborn,
Why is it that this artist, Jim Sanborn,

who had never created a code before in his entire life,
who had never created a code before in his entire life,

how could he have designed something
how could he have designed something

that has stumped the entire code breaking world?
that has stumped the entire code breaking world?

(gentle music)
(gentle music)

- [Narrator] Welcome to the island of Jim Sanborn.
- [Narrator] Welcome to the island of Jim Sanborn.

He is the artist who made Kryptos,
He is the artist who made Kryptos,

and he's the only person on Earth who knows the solution.
and he's the only person on Earth who knows the solution.

- The code itself is in a safe deposit box
- The code itself is in a safe deposit box

that's pretty much where it stays.
that's pretty much where it stays.

In the late 1980s the CIA was required
In the late 1980s the CIA was required

that they have a sculpture.
that they have a sculpture.

I was ultimately selected to do the work
I was ultimately selected to do the work

on the exterior of the building.
on the exterior of the building.

So, I chose to do a piece using encoded text.
So, I chose to do a piece using encoded text.

Through this copper screen, I cut with jigsaws, by hand,
Through this copper screen, I cut with jigsaws, by hand,

almost 2,000 letters
almost 2,000 letters

and people have been contacting me continuously, daily,
and people have been contacting me continuously, daily,

for 30 years about it.
for 30 years about it.

(car tires on gravel)
(car tires on gravel)

- [Elonka] We have sushi, we have drinks, we have chips.
- [Elonka] We have sushi, we have drinks, we have chips.

- [Jim] There is actually a Kryptos group,
- [Jim] There is actually a Kryptos group,

that meets every year or so,
that meets every year or so,

to do everything humanly possible
to do everything humanly possible

to get me to give them a clue to Kryptos.
to get me to give them a clue to Kryptos.

- [Elonka] Our Kryptos community is made up
- [Elonka] Our Kryptos community is made up

of people all around the world.
of people all around the world.

We have thousands of people that are interested in Kryptos
We have thousands of people that are interested in Kryptos

and either cracking it or helping to see it cracked.
and either cracking it or helping to see it cracked.

Some of them are professional code breakers,
Some of them are professional code breakers,

some of them are students,
some of them are students,

often someone will just come in and toss out an idea
often someone will just come in and toss out an idea

and then, there will be some brainstorming.
and then, there will be some brainstorming.

The topography has changed.
The topography has changed.

Has anything changed in terms of the solutions of Kryptos
Has anything changed in terms of the solutions of Kryptos

because of the changes?
because of the changes?

- That's a, it's a trap
- That's a, it's a trap

question. - Good (laugh).
question. - Good (laugh).

- [Elonka] Often it's just a case
- [Elonka] Often it's just a case

of everyone just wants to listen
of everyone just wants to listen

to every single thing that Jim might say about Kryptos
to every single thing that Jim might say about Kryptos

because there's that hope that he will drop that clue,
because there's that hope that he will drop that clue,

that little hint that will help.
that little hint that will help.

- So, if one invested a lot of time
- So, if one invested a lot of time

in the environment around Kryptos
in the environment around Kryptos

that would be kind of silly.
that would be kind of silly.

I still have to be very vigilant
I still have to be very vigilant

and extremely poker faced when everybody wants
and extremely poker faced when everybody wants

to know what it says,
to know what it says,

but, I've gotten after 30 years,
but, I've gotten after 30 years,

fairly good at making it so that I don't flinch
fairly good at making it so that I don't flinch

or offer them a tell.
or offer them a tell.

And so far, so good.
And so far, so good.

(comical music)
(comical music)

- [Narrator] It's been 30 years since Kryptos
- [Narrator] It's been 30 years since Kryptos

was unveiled at the CIA
was unveiled at the CIA

and still people are working to crack that forth code,
and still people are working to crack that forth code,

every single day.
every single day.

- I think every artwork strives to hold your attention
- I think every artwork strives to hold your attention

for as long as possible,
for as long as possible,

but, if it's an artwork that contains something
but, if it's an artwork that contains something

that keeps your attention for even 10 minutes,
that keeps your attention for even 10 minutes,

much less 30 years,
much less 30 years,

I get a great sense of satisfaction from that.
I get a great sense of satisfaction from that.

It's become part of a many, many people's lives,
It's become part of a many, many people's lives,

and I think that's the most important part.
and I think that's the most important part.

- [Elonka] People have asked me if I want
- [Elonka] People have asked me if I want

to be the one that solves Kryptos,
to be the one that solves Kryptos,

and it doesn't have to be me.
and it doesn't have to be me.

I want to see it solved,
I want to see it solved,

and if I can help by sharing
and if I can help by sharing

as much information as I know,
as much information as I know,

that's as good to me as having actually cracked the code.
that's as good to me as having actually cracked the code.

(gentle music)
(gentle music)

If I had to place a bet, Kryptos,
If I had to place a bet, Kryptos,

yes, Kryptos will be solved.
yes, Kryptos will be solved.

I couldn't tell you when,
I couldn't tell you when,

but, it's a real code; it's a real cipher; it's solvable.
but, it's a real code; it's a real cipher; it's solvable.

(dramatic music)
(dramatic music)

(soft music beat)
(soft music beat)