> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ctf.krauq.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ctf.krauq.com/home.md).

# Home

A collection of CTF challenge writeups, aimed towards beginners for now.

Hey all. I likely won't be creating any more CTF writeups going forward. I started learning CTF back in October 2023, got semi-serious about it in 2024, played for larger teams in 2025, and then used everything I learned to go solo again in 2026. I played weekly and reached 1st in February and "retired" after DiceCTF on 3/7.

From March to July I worked on building [universalfileopener.com](https://universalfileopener.com). I learned more about using AI in those few months than the past year combined. After finishing the product core, I had tokens to spare again so I started up with D^3CTF and have done every top-tier CTF since then and placing very high solo on each with the techniques I learned.\
\
At this point, writeups don't really matter much anymore. CTFs now test how well players can use AI to solve extremely difficult challenges. Large teams with "unlimited" token budgets don't have a consistent lead, and years of experience isn't necessarily significant now either. 

I'm currently thinking now about the future of CTF. I think it has a lot of potential in various fields such as top-tier company recruitment and security audits for global infrastructure. There's a lot of untapped potential. Currently finishing up getting UFO on apple devices, and then maybe that will be my next project.

Blog: [https://blog.krauq.com](https://blog.krauq.com/)

CTFtime: <https://ctftime.org/team/248318>

<table><thead><tr><th width="241">Name/Writeups Link</th><th width="148"># of Solves</th><th width="230">Place</th><th>Team</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="/umassctf-2026.md">UMassCTF 2026</a></td><td>31</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>14th</strong></mark> out of 865 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/dawgctf-2026.md">DawgCTF 2026</a></td><td>~60</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>6th</strong></mark> out of 674 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/unbreakable-2026.md">UNbreakable 2026</a></td><td>19</td><td><mark style="color:yellow;"><strong>1st</strong></mark> out of 321 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/srdnlenctf-2026.md">SrdnlenCTF 2026</a></td><td>18</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>6th</strong></mark> out of 434 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/0xfun-ctf-2026.md">0xFunCTF 2026</a></td><td>~80</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>5th</strong></mark> out of 1359 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/lactf-2026.md">LACTF 2026</a></td><td>45</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>8th</strong></mark> out of 952 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/pragyanctf-2026.md">PragyanCTF 2026</a></td><td>22</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>9th</strong></mark> out of 893 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/nullconctf-2026.md">NullconCTF 2026</a></td><td>36</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>6th</strong></mark> out of 637 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/pascalctf-2026.md">PascalCTF 2026</a></td><td>29</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>13th</strong></mark> out of 855 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/knightctf-2026.md">KnightCTF 2026</a></td><td>25</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>4th</strong></mark> out of 890 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/scarletctf-2026.md">ScarletCTF 2026</a></td><td>29</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>2nd</strong></mark> out of 762 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/uoftctf-2026.md">UofTCTF 2026</a></td><td>29</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>30th</strong></mark> out of 1551 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/vuwctf-2025.md">VuwCTF 2025</a></td><td>29</td><td><mark style="color:yellow;"><strong>1st</strong></mark> out of 246 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/scriptctf-2025.md">ScriptCTF 2025</a></td><td>29</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>38th</strong></mark> out of 1190 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/cubectf-2025.md">CubeCTF 2025</a></td><td>10</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>9th</strong></mark> out of 375 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/googlectf-2025.md">GoogleCTF 2025</a></td><td>6</td><td><mark style="color:yellow;"><strong>1st</strong></mark> out of 276 teams</td><td>FMC</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/bcactf-2024.md">BCACTF 2024</a></td><td>36</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>32nd</strong></mark> out of 823 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/utctf-2024.md">UTCTF 2024</a></td><td>24</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>12th</strong></mark> out of 854 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/wolvctf-2024.md">WolvCTF 2024</a></td><td>12</td><td><mark style="color:yellow;"><strong>1st</strong></mark> out of 622 teams</td><td>PJSK</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/vikectf-2024.md">vikeCTF 2024</a></td><td>15</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>6th</strong></mark> out of 326 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/bi0sctf-2024.md">Bi0sCTF 2024</a></td><td>2</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>78th</strong></mark> out of 294 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/broncoctf-2024.md">BroncoCTF 2024</a></td><td>28</td><td><mark style="color:yellow;"><strong>1st</strong></mark> out of 284 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/dicectf-2024.md">DiceCTF 2024</a></td><td>8</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>93rd</strong></mark> out of 1040 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/tetctf-2024.md">TetCTF 2024</a></td><td>5</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>24th</strong></mark> out of 838 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/mapna-ctf-2024.md">Mapna CTF 2024</a></td><td>9</td><td><mark style="color:green;"><strong>35th</strong></mark> out of 685 teams</td><td>Solo</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### 2026

Edit 2: Came back to use CTF to practice AI usage techniques and compare models. \
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Currently <mark style="color:yellow;">**1st**</mark> 🇺🇸, <mark style="color:green;">**5th**</mark> 🌎 (2026/11/13)

<figure><img src="https://319637167-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fpfs5GbEFUvNmvw1Ekwmu%2Fuploads%2FJ9fDboiqwX0CYhjlmbIu%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=96a5d90d-8f5a-4703-8e8f-cd008bfdb501" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Edit: <mark style="color:yellow;">**1st**</mark> 🌎 (03/15/26). Now retired.

<figure><img src="https://319637167-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fpfs5GbEFUvNmvw1Ekwmu%2Fuploads%2Fx0E9OXghRjKLT0y9TG3B%2F2026.03.15-11.18.17.png?alt=media&amp;token=36da6be2-9230-493e-abbe-874e6e2ceff9" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Currently <mark style="color:yellow;">**1st**</mark> 🌎 (02/09/26).<br>

<figure><img src="https://319637167-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fpfs5GbEFUvNmvw1Ekwmu%2Fuploads%2FaMzWBellz3tYf55Se65c%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=8f9d5c6c-b92e-4b4b-8fdb-d737db1d1036" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### 2025

Spent most of 2025 playing in bigger teams

#### 2024

Peaked <mark style="color:green;">**2nd**</mark> 🇺🇸, <mark style="color:green;">**23rd**</mark> 🌎 (2024/04/10)

<figure><img src="https://319637167-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fpfs5GbEFUvNmvw1Ekwmu%2Fuploads%2FLmz2WTHH3ngWdueRERRx%2F2024.04.10-12.15.12.png?alt=media&amp;token=fca6c2d3-8e10-4a5c-a9aa-2d6f27e16647" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### 2023

Started competing on October 20th, ended the year <mark style="color:green;">**88th**</mark> 🇺🇸, <mark style="color:green;">**864th**</mark> 🌎