The Skull CTF

A mind-bending hardware puzzle in three acts

Apr 16, 2021

From Out the Muck

Of perseverance is born magnificence; of reticence, putrescence. Read the full update.


Apr 02, 2021

Sleeps Most of the Day

So ya got yer Skull. Or, if you didn't, then she ought to be paying you a visit real soon now. Either way, it's time to forget about everything else. You have one goal now: get to the top. Nothing else matters... Read the full update.


Feb 19, 2021

Shipping Delay

Orders are delayed due to severe and inclement weather conditions in the US. Read the full update.


Feb 10, 2021

A Perilous Crossing

Your Skulls have made it to the other end of the ocean! We managed to sneak them out of China just before the Lunar New Year, and the Deadly-Hook Looters have delivered them safely to Crowd Supply's logistics department. (Please update your shipping address if it has changed!) This update also includes a full breakdown of the scoring system we'll be using for our Top 10 List. Read the full update.


Jan 20, 2021

Skulls All The Way Down

Assembled, awakened, bid farewell, made into a burger, found to be nearsighted, and nattered on about... Read the full update.


Jan 07, 2021

Giving Shape to the Void

In collaboration with our CM and other partners, we traveled the world collecting silica sand, limestone, kaolin clay, fluorspar, colemanite, and dolomite. We melted them down using an enormous furnace and extruded the resulting mixture through bushings to create tiny strands of glass fiber. We then wove those fibers into a delicate fabric, cut it into sheets, soaked them in epoxy resin, sandwiched them between two pieces of copper foil, and smooshed it all together using a high-temperature lamination process. This update also covers our testing efforts, our OSH Park "After Dark" experiment, and our production firmware. Read the full update.


Dec 23, 2020

Scary Christmas!

With Christmas just around the corner, we decided to take advantage of The Skull's expansion pins to bring you a best-in-class Yuletide experience by plugging in a rare-earth magnet speaker and writing some special, hand-written firmware for the occasion. In other news, we've been busy getting quotes from manufacturers, perfecting our geothermal steam-soldering process, and dealing with shipping logistics related to CR2032 batteries. Read the full update.


Dec 15, 2020

Into the Darkness

A dialogue on darkness, deceleration, discord, and deals. (Also, our final day of crowdfunding!) Read the full update.


Dec 10, 2020

Spiralling Deeper

This update covers important safety precautions, upcoming bonus challenges, troubleshooting tips, and source code for The Skull's firmware. Read the full update.


Dec 07, 2020

Answers Begin to Manifest...

A Relaxing Day at the Spa, an Invite Link for our AMA on Wednesday, and the Secret in Her Eyes Read the full update.


Dec 03, 2020

SPELLunking & SKULLduggery

Featuring the Hall of Fame, mysterious blinking lights, our AMA session (next Wednesday at 11 AM Pacific), and a viral bonus challenge for two skulls! Read the full update.


Nov 30, 2020

Harnessing the Power of the Beaver Moon

In which our team receives a mysterious package, assembles an entourage, departs for Paris, and begs a favor of its loyal followers. Read the full update.


Nov 29, 2020

Cyber Monday Special!!

Starting right now—Monday, the 30th of November—you can get your very own Skull for the special price of $20.64, up a full $0.64 from the standard $20! This is a once-in-a-lifetime offer that will be available for one day only! Read the full update.


Nov 26, 2020

Black Friday Special!

Tomorrow—Friday, the 27th of November—you can get your very own Skull for the special price of $20.32, up a full $0.32 from the standard $20! This is a once-in-a-lifetime offer that will be available for one day only! Read the full update.


Nov 19, 2020

Completing the Ritual

We're still trying to complete the missing pieces of the Skull's firmware, so we decided to try something radical this week: we hired 256 monkeys, and gave them each a USB typewriter. In order to learn how well that worked, you'll have to click that button down there... Read the full update.


Nov 12, 2020

Eldrich Assembly

You have done it. You have made the world a more dangerous place by successfully funding t́he skull. Nice work. Seriously. Read the full update.


Nov 05, 2020

Blessing the Bytes

First and foremost, the firmware. We've summoned a shaman from the deepest, darkest jungles of a long-forgotten land, and she's been working night and day, performing ancient bytecode incantations to bless our compilers. But our grisly adventures did not end there...and now we need your help with a critical decision! Read the full update.


Oct 31, 2020

Our Campaign is Live. (Happy Halloween!)

This long-forgotten skull yearns for a place on your desk...a place from which, upon waking, it will endeavor to shatter your mind with a horrifying reverse engineering puzzle. Show it you are not afraid by helping us gather enough doubloons to raise it from the dead! Read the full update.

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