“I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of secret words being expressed as notes so I’ve created my own version of a musical cryptogram. I love that this project is interactive and combines music theory, art history, and cryptography as part of the clues.” — Cristina Spinei
Calling all internet sleuths, part-time detectives, armchair Angela Lansburys, Monday morning Sherlocks, dime store Dan Browns, and everyone who shouts out “whodunnit!” before the final act. Composer Cristina Spinei and artist luxpris have created an experience that will leave you both scratching your head and whistling a tune. What is Occulta Verba and why did I jump on board to help?
I fancy myself one of the types listed above but I’m not sure any of my prior experience prepared me for what I was about to dive into…the deep end. First, I want to explain my involvement in this project. I, like you dear reader, have zero knowledge of the answer to this riddle. I’ve collaborated with Cristina on many of her NFT projects. From audio engineering to technical inconveniences, I’ve been by her side. When she mentioned this project a few months ago there was no keeping me away.
Occulta Verba, which means “hidden words,” is a mind-bending puzzle that combines music, history, and cryptography. Each NFT comes with three clues and accompanying sheet music. Yes, that’s right, sheet music. But don’t worry if you’re not a musician because that’s only part of the equation. I had to dig deep and dredge up my short-lived piano lessons and elementary rhyme schemes to recall the treble and bass clefs. If you don’t have piano memories to fall back on, then a quick internet search should suffice.
Treasure hunters and crypto connoisseurs should note that Cristina’s research into this project was exhaustive. She studied different cryptographic techniques to formulate the hidden message and is tight lipped about the methods used. The only thing she would let me in on was that “Hiding things in plain sight was part of the fun!”
Composers and artists have been encoding messages in their work for centuries. Bach and Da Vinci hid ideas and clues deep within their work for audiences to discover. The Beatles confounded a generation trying to figure out which of the four was really the walrus and if Paul was dead.
This riddle will take time to unravel, but it will be well worth it. The winner will receive the 1/1 luxpris NFT and 5% of the total proceeds. Currently if all 1,500 NFTs sell out then the total prize would be over 7 Eth. At current market valuation that’s ~$28k hidden in the plain sight and sound.
I would like to elaborate more on the intricacies of the project but I fear I might give something away. Just know things aren’t always what they seem. Occulta Verba is waiting to be solved. Do you have what it takes?
