COVERT OPS
DIRECTORATE OF SPECIAL MEASURES · UK
THE DOOR IS LOCKED AND THERE IS NO BELL. The archive beyond this terminal is closed to walk-ins. The only way through is to break the ciphers.
Choose your track. Each one is a separate lock with its own clearance badge — and you can collect all three.
SELECT TRACK
BRONZE
RECRUIT
EASY
- 3 verifications
- Shift cipher, Morse, key assembly
- On-page tools and a generous brief
TYPICAL: 5–10 MIN
BEGIN → SILVEROPERATIVE
MEDIUM
- 4 verifications
- Atbash, binary, Polybius, Vigenère
- Field Toolkit issued — no labels on the locks
TYPICAL: 15–30 MIN
BEGIN → GOLDGHOST
HARD
- 5 verifications, chained
- Base64, transposition, XOR, steganography, running key
- Nothing is named. Nothing is easy.
TYPICAL: 45+ MIN
BEGIN →CLEARANCES ON FILE (this device):
Badges live in this browser's local storage. Clear your site data and they go with it — but your downloaded PNG and verification code will still check out.
HOUSE RULES
- Everything you need is on the page. No external lookups are required — though nobody will stop you.
- Hints are available on every challenge. They are counted and stamped on your badge, so the brave should abstain.
- The clock starts when the terminal boots and stops when the lock opens.
- Refreshing keeps your progress for the session. Burn session resets it.
- Answers are single words unless stated. Case and spacing are ignored.