FAQ
Questions & answers
The short version of how Scrypt works. If something is missing, write to curator@satoshiscrypt.com.
The basics
What is Scrypt?
Scrypt is a cipher-puzzle and connected-fiction house based in Louisville, Kentucky. We run a nightly puzzle (the Oracle), a monthly city cipher-race with a real purse (the Sprint), a serialized audio story (The Making of Madrigal) and a shop of limited, numbered goods.
Who runs it?
Scrypt LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, is the organizer of every contest on this site. Thomas Lanham is the Curator and the person to contact.
Where do I start?
Open the Oracle and try a door. If you want a way into the Sprint, the Qualifier is the free, always-open route.
Playing
Does it cost anything to play?
No. Entry is free and nothing is required to be purchased, ever. Buying merchandise does not enter you, does not raise your standing, and does not improve your odds.
Who can enter the Sprint?
Anyone eighteen or older, anywhere in the world. There is no other gate.
Is it a lottery or a raffle?
No. It is a contest of skill. Winning is decided by solving ciphers correctly and by nothing else.
What is the Oracle?
A cipher door that opens every night, marked with a Roman numeral. Answers are counted on the website. Solving a door earns you a head start in the next Sprint.
What is the Sprint?
A cipher-race tied to a real city. A pack is released, solvers race the clock, and the board is ranked by time. The purse is published before the race opens. The city stays unnamed until you solve your way to it.
Do I need to be good at puzzles?
You need to be patient and curious. The doors reward careful reading more than special knowledge, and they get easier to see the longer you look.
The shop
What do you sell?
Limited, numbered goods made with care. Everything carries a hidden layer for the reader who looks closely. We never announce what it is or where.
Where do I buy?
At shop.satoshiscrypt.com, linked from the main menu.
For businesses and partners
I run a bar, café or shop. What can you do for me?
We host puzzle nights and run puzzle hunts at local businesses. We provide the host, the game, the prizes and the promotion. Starting out, it costs the venue nothing.
What does a puzzle night look like?
Trivia rounds, then a five-minute cipher round that no phone can help with. A host runs the whole night, so your staff does nothing extra.
What do you get out of it?
Every night we run in town shows what Scrypt can do at home, and some players go on to play online. That is the whole arrangement.
Getting in touch
How do I reach you?
Email curator@satoshiscrypt.com or call (502) 665-9620. You can also save the Curator's contact card from the Connect page.
Where can I read the rules?
The Terms of Service cover the Sprint, the Oracle and the shop in full.