#thered be a legend at the top of the page where you could click on an icon to filter it

[pileofpawns]

spent a good 20 minutes yesterday daydreaming about what a hypothetical personal website for myself would look like

[click2watch]

There’s Money Still to Win in the 310 Bitcoin Challenge

Over a million dollars’-worth of bitcoin was hidden in a picture – and there’s still some left to be found.

Called the 310 BTC Bitcoin Challenge, a pseudonymous user going by the name “Pip” stashed a total of 310.61 BTC (worth $2,011,267 at press time) into four digital wallets earlier this month – with the recovery code for unlocking each wallet decipherable through careful investigation of a single black-and-white image.

It’s a familiar concept within the space. Earlier this year, a crypto enthusiast won $50,000 worth of bitcoin by solving a puzzle in a painting called “The Legend of Satoshi Nakamoto” by visual artist turned blockchain developer Marguerite Driscoll.

Similar to the 310 BTC Bitcoin Challenge, enticing users to find bounties of bitcoin concealed within a computer-generated image, one of Driscoll’s puzzles took more than two years to solve.

For Pip, the game, which debuted on October 2, was an experiment, he said, created “to make someone else happy.” Pip claims to have amassed “a treasure chest” of bitcoin largely for free as an early adopter.

His puzzle, though, is already near completion. In fact, within eight days of the challenge being released, three of the four wallets were successfully unlocked and emptied – this including the grand prize allotment of 310 BTC.

Shocked at how quickly the funds were moved, Pip posted on Reddit, “I’m very surprised and impressed at the same time. For my next challenge, I can clearly beef up overall complexity.”

The web page reports over 400 registered participants – and counting. While the majority of staked funds have been claimed, the challenge is ongoing with one final wallet containing 0.31 BTC, around $2,000, yet to be unlocked.

As such, active discussions among interested parties on not only Reddit but other public channels such as Discord and BitcoinTalk posit different techniques to uncover the remaining secrets hidden in the PNG file.

CoinDesk technology officer, Craig Lewiston, highlighted that in order to crack the code, participants will require a combination of different skills including image manipulation, bytecode manipulation, text encoding and cryptography.

Adding to this, Steve Wilson, a cryptography expert and principal analyst at emerging technologies advisory firm Constellation Research told CoinDesk the final solution could also entail a “cultural” understanding specific to open-source development communities.

“I bet you there are patterns and clues and inside jokes and a culture that might be useful for solving the problem,” he said, adding:

“There are probably clues going on here and ways of solving problems that are shared by the community without necessarily being mathematical.”

Below is a recounting of how the first three puzzles were figured out and how those techniques might be used to unlock the last of the bitcoin.

Image forensics

310 BTC Bitcoin Challenge PNG image from bitcoinchallenge.codes

Indeed, Pip himself affirms that part of the solution to the challenge can simply be gleaned through careful inspection of the image by anyone, even “while on the bus.”

Hinting at techniques used in a branch of cryptography known as steganography, where secret messages are hidden in plain sight, the first step to cracking the code is merely paying attention to image details.

Zooming in on the above image, some have found key pieces of information, such as a date reference to when the challenge first started.

Transforming this image so that it is reflected by a central axis reveal additional clues to suggest the curves and lines superimposed on the mosaic-like grid actually serve to group together different letters and numbers scattered about.

Bitcoin trivia

Another key element to uncovering the last remaining code is knowing what to look for in context of how bitcoin storage works.

There’s a variety of different digital wallets able to hold bitcoins, or rather bitcoin private keys, indicating de facto ownership. Among the many ways a user might ensure safe holding of their tokens, a grouping of 12, 18 or 24 words – together called a “seed phrase” – can be randomly generated and used as the ultimate recovery password to gain wallet access.

From a previous solution to a holding of 0.1 BTC, the seed phrase for one of the wallets in the challenge was: cry buyer grain save vault sign lyrics rhythm music fury horror mansion.

And as most bitcoin enthusiasts will know, the possible words that make up these seed phrases are compiled in multi-language lists found on Github repositories of bitcoin improvement proposals.

Therefore, in order to unlock the remaining bitcoin wallet, challenge participants will likely have to put together the correct combination of words to compose a bitcoin seed phrase relying upon one or more of these Github word lists.

Computer programming

It’s unavoidable. There likely does require some knowledge of code manipulation in order to complete this challenge.

For example, participants so far have relied on a programming operation known as bit shifting in order to decode messages found within the challenge image.

As background, bit shifting essentially moves a value – be it a binary value composed of ones and zeroes or a hexadecimal value composed of numbers and letters – either to the left or to the right by a set amount, much like how you would add or subtract in basic mathematics.

Looking closely at the original image, there is a grid of hexadecimal values that can be converted using a common shift key such as the challenge start date and then transformed into a new set of values.

Edited 310 BTC Bitcoin Challenge PNG image. Original can be found on bitcoinchallenge.codes

Given this grid’s use case for other wallet solutions, it is likely that operations in the same vein as bit shifting will be required to further decode the message behind these values.

Finally, cryptography

Last but not least, this would not be a bitcoin challenge without emphasis on techniques used by computer science professionals and cryptographers.

So far, challenge participants have leveraged an open-source software known as OpenSSL, or the Open Secure Sockets Layer, to decrypt part of the challenge solutions.

Speaking to the highly popular use case for the technology, Constellation Research’s Wilson explained that in essence, OpenSSL is “a code library that helps you secure your website,” adding, “It’s being used by essentially every web server.”

Indeed, the unique code base and commands of OpenSSL able to encrypt web communications has also been used to similarly encrypt digital wallet codes as part of Pip’s bitcoin challenge.

Knowing all this, the remaining task of deciphering the last piece to the 310 BTC Bitcoin Challenge is most likely of mixture of these techniques. Good luck!

Special thanks to background contribution from Urvish Parikh, Aditi Hudli and Alyssa Hertig. 

310 BTC Bitcoin Challenge PNG via the challenge website

The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.

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[survivor-game-changers]

Rites of Passage - Day 49

Before we get to your final immunity challenge, we are taking the time to reflect upon those who fell before you. Wether directly or indirectly, because of them, you are in this spot in the game. 

(we are pretending that Renee submitted on time and this was posted not after FTC yay)

Katie

Hey! Long time no talk. You look great, tell your mom I said hello as well!

Nick

Sidlegend ! i never actually spoke to you, #socialgame, but there was a lot of dropped jaws on South West when you left and you definitely shook people when you left because everyone felt slightly on edge when it could literally be anyone too leave!! thanks for playing!!! <3

Katie

Girl you were so robbed. I would have loved to play with you longer.

Nick

you were such a sweet girl when i spoke to you on the marooning, and you were there with my girl Ashley and she and everyone else only spoke highly of you!! DEFINITELY robbed, everyone was sh00K when you left and i think your a legend!

Katie

Sorry Chris!!! I hope to get to know you better once this whole thing is over with. I’ve heard really REALLY great things about you.

Nick

you had me sweating til the very last minute boy!! what an awesome dude honestly, i am scared to think of how you would play if you went any further because that last day, you really knew how to turn the tables and you were someone really great to talk to as well!! glad i got to play with The Chris Icon™ , also renee still talks about how much of a wicked person you are, then that holds a lot respect in my heart !

Renee

thank you for making me apply for this game, I went into it planning on doing nothing besides being your bitch and clearly that didnt work well, but you leaving allowed me to get this far, but I am absolutely devastated that you left so soon and i hope i got revenge enough for you. Heard it was between you and me going that night and really I wish it was me because you deserved to play this game!! love u irrelevant jtia.

Katie

Oh Johnny, you were such a constant figure in my game. You may have only made it to day 10 but your influence on this game is the reason I made it this far. I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Nick

duuuuuude!! honestly, player of the season! you were robbed of #SingleDigits but daaaaamn you were a force ! south west had therapy sessions after you left bc we were all so sh sh shook ! not only an awesome, dynamic player, i really thought you were an awesome guy to talk too and someone that has a lot of love for this game!!!!

Renee

I really wanted to be able to play with you and it sucked that we had no power on that tribe, sorry that you left, but Im rooting so hard for you in flops hope you kill it!!

Katie

QUEEN!!! You are such a strong player and have proven yourself over and over again to just dominate the competition in this community. I knew if I didn’t get you out you would be standing right here where I am now.

Nick

my mother forever!!! when you think of TS legends, kait is the top of my list and most peoples!! voting you was really hard, but all the idol talk and relationships and alliances, it was something i felt had to be done early, because you really are a superstar player and person!! thank you for being such an icon, i idolize you, i adore you, thankYOU! 

Katie

I can’t believe I got to be in a lip sync with the lip sync queen herself. Honestly a goal of mine for a very long time and I can’t believe it came true! Next time we will crush it even harder but until then I can’t wait to have you cracking me up in the reunion chat. You really bring so much life into the community and I adore you for it.

Nick

the Fashionist Legend™ HaSelf!!!!!!!!! ever since rebels n rogues, you have been a great value player and person and I love your funny, bubbly, outgoing personality, you radiate so much positivity and friendliness and i think this community is blessed with someone like you Pippa!! <3

Katie

NOW THAT was a very ugly vote and a bit hard to watch. I heard you were able to get revenge though… hopefully it was sweet.

Nick

dont. imma choke up. THIS. QUEEN. WAS. ROBBED! if i could give my spot right now to any person, it’d be you!!! i wish we were never split by tribe swap because i would NOT™ have let this happen had i been there with you! not only are you a Celebrity and future president of the world, ur someone I’m pretty happy to call a friend!!! i loved that this game brought us together bc i love talking to you and i love how like minded we are, we just seem to always be on the same page and thats so reassuring! thanks for being such a legend and i wish this game got to see more madison, so so so so so robbed! LOVE YOU MADI <3

Renee

gosh you were so robbed and the way you left really hurt but the time that we did get to play together was great queen of the toxic music video.

Katie

I had to think very long and hard about whether or not to work with you. In the end I knew us being together would have put a constant target on both of our backs and after Ancient Greece I was weary to have to take that bullet again. You’ve always been such a great friend to me and I hope to play another game where you can slice my head clean off!!

Nick

honestly SUCH A TUMBLR SURVIVOR LEGEND!!!! another vote that really hurt to do, but again, had you gone any further i rue the day u would have slayed all of us!! i think your such an awesome person and having conversations with you was super endearing bc i genuinely think your a super nice guy!! thanks for being such an icon!

Renee

I was heartbroken we didnt actually get to play any of this game together because I really wanted to be able to see how you play and I love playing games you host so I am very upset that I didnt have a chance to try and work with you in this game!! You left too soon!!

Katie

WHEW this was a very very hard vote. I think about it a lot… was it worth getting that much blood on my hands so that I could be sitting up here? We had a really wild and fun run for the first half of the game and had the swap gone differently I believe you would’ve been a really strong long-term ally. My move was messy and I hope one day I can explain it well enough so that you will forgive me for it.

Nick

another ABSOLUTE ROBBERY!! again, like madison, had i been there, i would have done everything in my heart and soul to ensure this does not happen to you!! you are such an amazing friend before anything else in this game! i could talk to you about the most boring thing and be highly entertained and I’m super thankful for the time we spent in the game! thank you for always being someone i could vent to, spit ball ideas with, scream at and with and project all my anxiety onto, you really are a legend and the TS community is blessed to have someone like you! <3

Renee

I was honestly…. so excited when we got swapped and put back on a tribe together but then I just figured you would never actually trust me, and I had to make a move against you. you would’ve destroyed this merge so I hope you take it as a compliment that I did what I did and theres no hard feelings because I really do think youre great!!

Katie

We didn’t get to talk much since we always seemed to find ourselves on different sides of the alliances, but the little conversation we had was really great. I hope your adorable animal friends are doing well and that you will flood the reunion chat with as many photos of them as you possibly can!

Nick

I’m still shaking @ ur departure. i loooooove you olivia honestly, your so freaking fabulous! we bonded day 1, and that was a bond that could not be broken and I’m so thankful i met someone like you! shattered the tribe swap split us, because all game aside, i genuinely missed talking to u! thanks for being YOU OLIVIA <3 https://media.giphy.com/media/d5TDmQA8zfQqI/giphy.gif

Renee

oh my… your blindside was so devastating and you really didnt deserve that,, we had some great moves and at first I was alittle scared but really im so glad that I got put with you in the swap because I really feel like we killed it, and I really owe you for connecting me with Andrew and crow which put me in such a good position in the game, you were so robbed queen.

Katie

JARED!!!!!! I feel as though our similar laid back personalities clicked very well together and I always enjoyed talking with you. Making the elephant with you during the battle ship challenge was and forever will be the highlight of the season for me. Thank you so much for always making me laugh it meant so much to me and I hope you are doing great.

Nick

my BOY!!! the first thing you ever said to me was “Do you want some fries?” and i knew from that moment on, you were MA MAN! i wasn’t stabbing u in the back at all, and i hope?!?!??!? that was the same for you, but i am so so blessed that i got to play this game with someone like you! i love your honesty and you humbleness, its so endearing, AND your almost as iconic as nicole… almost!! https://media1.tenor.com/images/83dd842ba61a76e1b28824a7e1a94d23/tenor.gif?itemid=5920950

Katie

I TRIED!!!!! I TRIED SO HARD TO HAVE US WORK WITH YOU!!!!!!! I always had mixed feelings about you, but that night you comforted Billy in our alliance chat I realized what I thought I knew about you was all wrong. You put on an excellent show but I know now that you have the biggest heart and I am so so happy my friend Dustin gets to be with someone so kind. Side note: Don’t be too upset that I proved you wrong in that building emotional and real connections with people in this game can get you to the end ;)

Nick

I’m still shaking from every tribal council you ever been at ! you were such a fun player too watch, so scary to be against, but you were such a force! its refreshing to play with someone who is honest and straight forward and i appreciate being able to play with you!!!! thank you for adding entertainment and intensity into this season, you shook the game hoNESTLY and i think you made a lot of people sweat and a lot of people laugh, thankYOU! ! #GAMECHANGA https://media.giphy.com/media/10QgC3CIDqjvXi/giphy.gif

Renee

the biggest personality in this game for sure. You made early merge actually really fun because you were so good at being the villain. too bad we weren’t actually on the same side but I really actually did consider working with you and omg I wish we could’ve gotten something together because highkey im obsessed with you and youre FUN !

Katie

MATT WHY WEREN’T YOU AWAKE DURING THE CAST REVEAL!!!!! I’d like it to go on record that Matt was the third person I messaged as soon as this game began. You are and will always be one of my best friends in this community... we’ve known each other for such a long time I’ve literally watched you become a man and grow chest hair!!!! You are someone I always want to talk to and I’m so thankful we flopped in Chiefs so that we could form this forever bond.  ALSO THAT DOUBLE IDOL PLAY WAS RIDICULOUS SERIOUSLY GET OUT OF HERE WITH THAT SHIT. I should have known… its Matt FUCKING Summers for a reason.

Nick

another TS LEGEND! your such a force, its so infectious being on a season with you, because i have such a higher drive to play harder and do better !!! i think your such an awesome player, i admire you… king of idols!!!!! you don’t know how much stress i had when u pulled out them idols, you really knew how to shake the game and keep everyone on there toes!! thank you so much for ALLOWING me to be on a season with u, bc i feel so inferior being put on the same cast as Matt Summers™ https://78.media.tumblr.com/531420631da128193b83673530450bdd/tumblr_o6xmy3ExVx1tc2w1bo1_250.gif

Renee

legend…. In the 5 seconds before your vote out where u and I actually talked alot of game was so much fun and if i hadnt already voted for you that round and if you were going for anyone other than Katie I actually would’ve considered voting with you that round and really… the double idol play was amazing and I shook and wow.

Katie

Andrew I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this, but you are one of the most well spoken individuals I’ve ever met. You really exude intelligence even when you are lying down in your bed answering silly tribal questions. Each time we play a game I am always stunned by how strategically and socially talented you are. Keeping it up because someday you are going to be ruling over all of us. I hope to play with you again in the near future.

Nick

omg father!!! you are one of the best players I’ve honestly ever played with! we didn’t speak much, or at all?? pre-merge and i was sweating the moment i had to meet you bc your SO DAMN GOOD!!!!! there are some people who are naturally just so charismatic like u and i just honestly loved talking to u, let alone playing with u!! i think u were so exciting to play along side and even more exciting to solidify a pretty good relationship with! thankYOU for being someone I’m super proud to say i played with !!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2827ce_d0011f547cc94d7cb6992870aa872586~mv2.gif

Renee

honestly upon seeing the cast I just figured you and I would be on opposite sides of this game like we have in other games, but as soon as your “Cortana”  called me bae I knew this game would be different. When we formed that little alliance in the first swap it really changed my opinion of you and im really glad we got to work together as long as we did!!

Katie

I think after this game we are going to have to reintroduce ourselves because if there is anyone in this game that gave me a run for my money on making up lies it was you. I am not even sure if I was ever able to really trick you in this game… at times I felt like you were able to read right through me, which was TERRIFYING. You were a target of mine for such a long time and because of it that I regret never showing you all of my true self. Hope you feel the same way because I think we are going to be surprised with how similar we truly are.

Nick

my girl since day 1!! i know your departure hurt you and it cut a little when you left, and i have no excuses for it! it just shows how much of a force you were and how much people loved you! i think had i gone to the end with u in a f2, even i would have given u my vote! your such a likable, friendly, honest and respectful person and I’m hoping we can stay in touch after the season because i really loved talking to you during this game! i have so much to thank you for, for me to say i had i had a good time in this game, because you were a lot to contribute to it! i think your an ICON™ and i love your lizards xoxoxo SO MUCH xoxoxoxox https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2017-12/27/17/asset/buzzfeed-prod-fastlane-01/anigif_sub-buzz-9911-1514414805-3.gif

Renee

I feel like us not being on a tribe together ever pre merge made it difficult for us to ever be on the same page but honestly the small moments where we did get on the same page were really fun and I did enjoy talking to you about your lizards and potato chips about how annoying some people in this game were!

Katie

Had things not gotten so complicated I would have really loved to have you sitting here with me. I ended up falling into a very emotional game… more than I ever have before and the decision that I made that round is what I know I will end up haunting me in each and ever game I (possibly) get cast for after this. I hope you know how real our friendship is and that it goes so much further than this game/org/whatever. I always heard such amazing thing about you from my friends, but never took the chance to get to know you myself. Oddly enough minutes before the cast was announced I finally took the chance after being thrown into an insane situation and as luck would have it we were both cast and then thrown into this new EVEN MORE insane situation. I believe in fate and in that moment I knew it was sign that I just had to work with you and begin this amazing friendship. I can’t wait to see where this bond takes us I foresee many shore adventures.

Nick

i don’t even know where to begin here lmao. your such a legend… i seriously… there aren’t many people like u that i bond with in these games ! i can’t say much more other than thank you for this game! i bonded with u like a sister in this game, with kohls/coles, your crazy stalker, my co-worker, your mom dragging u and most importantly kmart <3 there are soon many memories i treasure ! idk what to say, I’m stumped for words when writing this, you know exactly how i feel about u, theres so much love and gratitude, tysm <3 https://media.giphy.com/media/3o7aD4GrHwn8vsGBTa/giphy.gif

Renee

you were literally the only person I thought I could work with in the game early in game and its been such a pleasure to be able to work with you as long as we did. Unfortunately I figured you would absolutely beat me in the end because you literally were friends with EVERYONE and that is something that you did really well that I know I couldn’t beat. I hope we can be friends outside of this game because I really did love talking to you and need updates on your crazy neighbor!!

Katie

THESE PAST 3 DAYS WERE WILD RIGHT???? I’m not sure how the two of us were able to go from bitter enemies one night to forming a real emotional connection the second but hey here we are. I really wish we had made that connection sooner in the game but its never too late and you know I’m not going anywhere. Taking down our façades and realizing how much we had in common was shocking to say the least, but I’m glad it happened. You were such a worthy adversary this entire game and sometimes I wonder how much luck vs strategy was responsible for me being here over you. 4th place looks much better on me than it does on you so get back out there and win one already!!!

Nick

what a PLAYER!! HONESTLY, you made moves, your frightened me, you made me laugh like no other, you made me sweat sm, u made me learn about the geography of america, thaNKYOU.. FOR all of it!! you brought this game to a new level and i have a lot of respect for you, i think you are an amazing, amazing person and u should feel very proud of ur self and how u played! also SHOUTOUT to crow for having the most fucked up sleeping schedule, and making my timezone feel like i wasn’t always completely alone and isolated <3 no one else does 4am chats better than crow! http://68.media.tumblr.com/74e0a4518f4a80d00d167c44b8caa462/tumblr_o0z8biWuWv1qfohf1o1_500.gif

Renee

I really have such a big respect for the way you played this game, absolutely ruthless. I really thought you were playing too hard/too well which is why you had to go and im so sorry that I had to vote you out because really… I wanted to see you win this game if I didn’t win this game but I had to do what I thought was right to get myself closer to the end.