The World's Hardest Puzzle

Liberty. Privacy. Security. These are the values that Cicada 3301 fight for. Tommie decided to delve into the murky world of privacy activism and the Dark Web. While meeting those who call the internet home, he stumbles across a revelation…

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The complexity of each set of Cicada 3301’s puzzles astounded everyone. Even the minute details seemed forensic... All we know is they wanted ‘highly intelligent individuals.’ But why did they want them?

To get closer to the answers, Nicky speaks to an entomologist, and Tommie a cryptographer.

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After months of twists and turns, Tommie and Nicky arrive at the end of their journey into Cicada 3301. What has the world’s hardest puzzle taught them? And what can it teach us about the internet today?

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On a late April evening Nicky is about to close her laptop when she stumbles across a YouTube video about Cicada 3301. Something about it doesn’t seem right. It leads her to a website, and even more questions…

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Years have passed since the internet last heard from Cicada 3301. Tommie joins the 'Cicada Solvers' Discord Community to see the progress being made on the final puzzle, the Liber Primus. Is it any closer to being unlocked? Meanwhile, Nicky discovers that solving puzzles requires thinking outside the box.

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Despite ominous warnings from the ‘Cicada Solvers’ Discord Community, Nicky gets in contact with the alleged founder of Cicada 3301. They wait nervously as the call rings…

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In 2012, a mysterious organisation known as Cicada 3301 announced itself to the world with a cryptic post seeking ‘highly intelligent individuals.’

What followed became known as the hardest puzzle on the internet. One that took players to all corners the internet and out into real-world locations. After two years of enigmatic posting, it disappeared - and was never seen again. The final puzzle was never solved.Nearly a decade later, Tommie Trelawny and Nicky Anderson decide to take on Cicada 3301 for themselves.

Who was behind these mysterious puzzles? And what did they want to achieve?

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On a freezing January evening, Tommie and Producer Nicky wait in a carpark for a stranger.

The Interruption is solved. They know who was behind it. So why are they here? 

What can this stranger tell them that they don’t already know? 

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Forty-five years later, Tommie has gone on a journey through UFO Religions, talking to alien impersonators, psychic illusionists and travelling to alien churches.

He’s found out who was behind The Interruption, but the story doesn’t finish there.

Why did he do it? Why did a former radio pirate turn gadget guru hijack a television broadcast?

The answer begins on a park bench at the University of Bedfordshire.

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Two days after a massive dead end in their investigation, Tommie sends his producer a voice note: “That man is Vrillon, that man is Vrillon…”

And with those words, the 45-year-old case has been solved.

But, who was behind it?

Well, you’ve actually heard from him already…

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Out of a converted shop front in Fulham’s High Street lies the Aetherius Society – Britain’s oldest UFO religion.

A large, life-like painting of George King, the founder and prophet, hangs above the Executive Secretary’s desk.

In 1959, George King appeared on the BBC’s Lifeline, where the Cosmic Masters appeared to speak through him.

The message was strikingly similar to that of Vrillon’s...

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We have explored the motive, but what about the method?

Tommie hears from some of England’s most well-known pirate broadcasters.

These pirate radio DJs weren’t messing around, they took their craft seriously, they loved what they did and they were willing to take risks.

A new two-pronged search begins to unfold… Operation Space Pirates.

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In the last episode, we met two amateur investigators, StarDoG and AP Strange.

Like Tommie, the duo had fallen down the Interruption rabbit hole and had been working on this incident for years – with limited success.

However, something they say sends Tommie on a road trip… and somehow he ends up on the phone to a certain spoon-bending psychic.

Two new episodes dropping every Monday. Episodes 5 & 6 out on the 12th of December.

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Bournemouth University's Archives and Special Collections https://libguides.bournemouth.ac.uk/archives-special-collections

IBA, 1977. Southern TV 1976-79 Programme Contract: Demonstration Poster - IBA Corfe Castle Television Relay Station, 29 November 1977. Bournemouth University. IBA Archive (File 3996081). Unpublished.

IBA, 1967. Programme Contractors Southern 1957-1980: Letter - Summary of Technical Issues from B.Y. Bultitude [Southern's Chief Technical Engineer], 3 October 1967. Bournemouth University. IBA Archive (File 3995309). Unpublished.

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Many UFO movements believe aliens can take control of humans and use them as their mouthpieces.

Many of these “contactees” are still around today and some offer their psychic services online.

It gave us an idea: why not put our questions to Vrillon directly?

Two new episodes dropping every Monday. Episodes 5 & 6 out on the 12th of December.

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As The Interruption took place over the airwaves, we don’t have any physical evidence left behind. But we do have one thing: the message. 

You see, at the time no one really listened to what the alien had to say, it was simply shrugged off. But Tommie thinks that was a mistake…

Two new episodes dropping every Monday. Episodes 3 & 4 out on the 5th of December.

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For Southern Television, a TV station based in the south of England, November 26th 1977 was a day like any other.

Until 5:00pm, when this happened.

“This is the voice of Vrillon. Representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command speaking to you.”  

Nobody came forward to claim responsibility for this event. No one has been caught. For forty-five years, this strange incident has remained a mystery.

For Stak, Tommie Trelawny reopens the case…

Who, or what, was behind The Interruption?

Two new episodes dropping every Monday. Episodes 1 & 2 out now.

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This story is not a work of science fiction. Everything you’re about to hear is true.

On 26th November 1977, a mysterious alien voice calling themself “Vrillon,” broke onto the Five O’Clock News.

Vrillon had a simple warning for the viewers of Southern Television: live in peace or leave the galaxy.

For forty-five years, those responsible have not been identified. Tommie Trelawny has reopened the case.

Who, or what, was behind The Interruption?

Launching the 28th of November. Two episodes dropping every Monday.

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