# K4's plaintext and method are known to a few holders and deliberately unpublished.

> Most likely: K4's plaintext and method are known to a few holders and deliberately unpublished.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/kryptos/answers/ANS0D7HT9RM4MAQ/k4s-plaintext-and-method-are-known-to-a-few-holders-and  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Kryptos](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/kryptos)[Is K4 solved, known but withheld, or open?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/kryptos/questions/QST0D7HT7T41TBW/is-k4-solved-known-but-withheld-or-open)Answer

Answer · Kryptos

# K4's plaintext and method are known to a few holders and deliberately unpublished.

K4's plaintext and method are known to a few holders and deliberately unpublished.

**Most likely** Answers **1** questionDeduced0

## Where it stands

**Most likely** Its tests supported it: four pieces of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- The holders (Sanborn, Kobek and Byrne, the archive's owner) keep the text private under legal or personal undertakings.
- A verifier or commitment exists that can confirm a correct submission without revealing the text.

## What would rule it out

- A holder publishes the plaintext and method.

## Evidence 4 for · none against

[Kobek and Byrne refused NDAs but say they will not publish, after letters from the auction house's lawyers.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/kryptos/evidence/EVD0D7HTAG26V1D/kobek-and-byrne-refused-ndas-but-say-they-will-not-publish)

Supported

FOR

[Paradigm says Sanborn entered the plaintext into a verifier and that the firm has not seen it; it has not…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/kryptos/evidence/EVD0D7HTA882ZC9/paradigm-says-sanborn-entered-the-plaintext-into-a-verifier)

Established

FOR

[The Smithsonian sealed the relevant files for fifty years at Sanborn's request.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/kryptos/evidence/EVD0D7HTAQW07XX/the-smithsonian-sealed-the-relevant-files-for-fifty-years-at)

Supported

FOR

[The archive sold on 20 November 2025 included Sanborn's handwritten K4 plaintext and the original K4 coding…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/kryptos/evidence/EVD0D7HTA0E405P/the-archive-sold-on-20-november-2025-included-sanborns)

Established

FOR

## The questions it answers

[Is K4 solved, known but withheld, or open?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/kryptos/questions/QST0D7HT7T41TBW/is-k4-solved-known-but-withheld-or-open)

AnsweredNo answer ahead

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). K4's plaintext and method are known to a few holders and deliberately unpublished. [Answer ANS0D7HT9RM4MAQ]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D7HT9RM4MAQ
```

Key

**ANS** 0D7HT9RM4MAQ

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Deduced

Version

1

Added by

[apollo](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)

The record

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