Address-only (brute force)
Scan every key in the range, compute the Bitcoin address, compare against the target. Works on any puzzle but needs 2^N operations — infeasible above ~71 bits.
Best for: Puzzles 71–74 (lowest unsolved, no known public key)
The right tool depends on whether the puzzle's public key is known. Address-only puzzles require brute-force scanning. Puzzles with revealed public keys can be attacked with kangaroo/BSGS algorithms that are exponentially faster.
Public key known (kangaroo/BSGS)
When the public key is revealed, Pollard's kangaroo and Baby-step Giant-step need only ~2^(N/2) operations. This makes puzzles 135+ potentially solvable.
Best for: Puzzles 135, 140, 145, 150, 155, 160 (public keys known)
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Tool directory
lotterypzl ours private
Conductor CLI and guided TUI for coordinated lottery-mode search. Claims bounded key ranges (tickets), logs to a shared ledger, supports detached GPU sessions.
Type: Orchestration
Engine: Wraps PZL-Roo and PZL-Hunter
Link: GitHub → (requires read-scoped token)
PZL-Roo ours private
GPU kangaroo engine for known-pubkey puzzles. Implements Pollard's kangaroo algorithm with CUDA acceleration for lottery-mode bounded windows.
Type: GPU kangaroo
Best for: Puzzles 135+ with known public keys
Link: GitHub → (requires read-scoped token)
PZL-Hunter ours private
GPU scanner engine for address-only puzzles. Brute-force address matching with CUDA, designed for ledger-backed no-repeat coverage.
Type: GPU brute force
Best for: Puzzles 71–74 (no known public key)
Link: GitHub → (requires read-scoped token)
Keyhunt
CPU-based brute-force scanner and BSGS solver by AlbertoBSD. Supports compressed/uncompressed addresses, random and sequential modes, and BSGS for known public keys.
Type: CPU brute force + BSGS
Author: albertobsd
Link: GitHub →
Keyhunt-cuda
GPU port of Keyhunt by Wandering Philosopher. CUDA-accelerated brute-force and BSGS for NVIDIA GPUs. Significantly faster than CPU version.
Type: GPU brute force + BSGS
Author: Wandering Philosopher
Status: Archived (use for reference)
Link: GitHub →
Kangaroo
GPU Pollard's kangaroo implementation by JeanLucPons. The standard tool for solving puzzles with known public keys. Used by RetiredCoder to solve puzzles 120, 125, and 130.
Type: GPU kangaroo
Author: JeanLucPons
Limit: Up to ~125-bit intervals
Link: GitHub →
Etayson Kangaroo
Modified kangaroo by Etayson for puzzles 130+. Includes GPU BSGS, fraction kangaroo, fraction BSGS, and server clients for distributed solving. Required for puzzles above 125-bit.
Type: GPU kangaroo (modified)
Author: Etayson
Best for: Puzzles 130–160
Link: GitHub →
BitCrack
GPU address-only scanner. Brute-forces private keys and checks against a target Bitcoin address. Supports multiple GPUs and is popular for puzzle 71 scanning.
Type: GPU brute force
Link: GitHub →
RCKangaroo reference
Fast ECDLP solver for NVIDIA GPUs based on SOTA Kangaroo method with symmetry. Created by RetiredC — the same developer who solved puzzles 120, 125, and 130. This is the reference implementation that PZL-Roo is based on.
Type: GPU kangaroo (SOTA with symmetry)
Author: RetiredC
Best for: Puzzles 120–160 with known public keys
License: GPLv3
Link: GitHub →
ASICs don't work here. Bitcoin mining ASICs are optimized for SHA-256d, not elliptic curve
operations. They cannot scan private keys or run kangaroo algorithms. Don't waste money on ASICs for puzzle hunting.
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GPU rental
Don't own GPUs? Rent them by the hour. These are the most popular platforms for puzzle hunters.
Vast.ai
GPU marketplace with competitive hourly pricing. RTX 3070 from ~$0.07/hr, RTX 4090 from ~$0.35/hr. Search, configure, and SSH into instances in minutes.
Best for: Cost-effective GPU rental, wide selection
Pay-per-hour: Yes, no commitment
Link: vast.ai →
Clore.ai
GPU rental platform with crypto-native payment. Supports SSH access, hourly billing, and automatic deployment. Popular in the puzzle hunting community.
Best for: Crypto payments, European hosting
Pay-per-hour: Yes, CLORE token or crypto
Link: clore.ai →
Disclosure: The Vast.ai and Clore.ai links above are referral links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the project. We only recommend platforms we genuinely use for puzzle hunting.
Security tip: When renting GPUs for puzzle hunting, use
lotterypzl --detach to run
sessions that survive SSH disconnects. Never store private keys on rental instances — use
untrusted_computer mode if available. Wipe the instance after your session.
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