Bitcoin Private Key Puzzle

Description

In 2015, a cryptographic puzzle was created to demonstrate the vastness of the private key space. The creator sent increasing amounts of Bitcoin to addresses with keys in specific ranges:

• 20 ≤ random key < 21 — 0.001 BTC
• 21 ≤ random key < 22 — 0.002 BTC
• 22 ≤ random key < 23 — 0.003 BTC
• ...
• 2255 ≤ random key < 2256 — 0.256 BTC

Total: 32.896 BTC

Currently, private keys #1–66 and every 5th key up to #125 have been cracked.

Timeline

• 2015-01-15: Initial transaction created with 256 Bitcoin addresses.
• 2017-07-11: Funds from addresses #161-256 moved to lower range addresses, increasing their value.
• 2019-05-31: Creator adds 1000 satoshi transactions to select addresses for comparison.
• 2023-04-16: Unsolved puzzle prizes increased by 10x. Puzzle #160 now worth 16 BTC.
• 2024-09-12: Puzzle #66 (6.60126013 BTC) solved, with funds partially transferred.

Solution Method

Every 5th puzzle can be solved more efficiently by using algorithms like Pollard's Kangaroo for solving the Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP) instead of brute forcing bitcoin addresses. This reduces the computational complexity to approximately the square root of the key space, making these higher-value puzzles more feasible to crack.

Join Our Puzzle-Solving Effort

We're running a pool to solve these puzzles using Pollard's kangaroo algorithm. This collaborative approach increases our chances of cracking the remaining puzzles.

When a puzzle is solved, the prize will be distributed as follows:

• 3.265 BTC for the solver who found the collision
• 1 BTC for the server operator and pool creator
• The remaining BTC will be distributed among users based on their work contribution:
  • For example, if a user has done 10% of the work, they will receive 10% of the remaining prize.

Want to contribute? Check out our GitHub repository: