BearcatCTF 2026 write-ups
BearcatCTF 2026 was a pirate-themed Capture The Flag competition. This post collects the challenge write-ups, points, and flags from our competition notes.
Scoreboard
35 challenges solved across 6 categories. The index below contains 36 challenge entries: Chatroom records a solved first room and an unsolved second room, while Port remains unsolved. A dash means the supplied notes do not list a point value.
The full solutions live in the BearcatCTF 2026 write-up repository. Each challenge name links to its write-up. Flags are included below, so expect spoilers.
Crypto
| Challenge | Points | Flag / status |
|---|---|---|
| Block Cipher Buccaneers | 500 | BCCTF{BLoCk_c1pH3r_Mod3} |
| Chatroom | — | Room 1: solved / Room 2: unsolved |
| Crazy Curves | 492 | BCCTF{y0U_sp1n_mE_r1gt_r0und} |
| Curvy Wurvy | 500 | BCCTF{NOW_7h0s3_4r3_s0m3_curv35} |
| Kidd's Crypto | 50 | BCCTF{y0U_h4V3_g0T_70_b3_K1DD1n9_Me} |
| Message In A Bottle | — | BCCTF{la_buse_strikes_again!} |
| Pickme | 500 | BCCTF{R54_Br0K3n_C0nF1rm3d????} |
| Tropped | 50 | BCCTF{1_h4T3_M7_Tr0p93D_4Hh_CRyp705ysT3m} |
| Twisted Pair | 500 | BCCTF{D0n7_g37_m3_Tw157eD} |
Forensics
| Challenge | Points | Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Blackbeard | 499 | BCCTF{b1@ckp3@r1_10$t_1t$_tr3@$ur3} |
| Crew Ledger | 500 | BCCTF{X_M4rk3Sss_th3_Sp0T} |
| Cursed Map | 500 | BCCTF{00H_1M_bR07l1_f33ls_S0_g0Od!} |
| Gone Forever | 492 | BCCTF{GonE_But_nOt_4GottEn} |
| Mysterious Transmission | 486 | BCCTF{4mAt3uR_r4di0_ru135} |
| pCapsized | 479 | BCCTF{C0nS91cuoU5_cH4Nn31s_4M1r1T3?} |
| Poem About Pirates | 499 | BCCTF{1gN0r3_4ll_PreV1OU5_1n57Ruc7iOns} |
Reverse engineering
| Challenge | Points | Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Morgan | 499 | BCCTF{Y00_hO_Ho_anD_4_B07Tl3_oF_rUm} |
| Missing One Piece | 500 | BCCTF{I_gU3S5_7hAt_Wh1t3BeArD_6uY_W45_TRu7h1n6!} |
| Pirate | 465 | BCCTF{Pr3t7y_5UR3_1tS_C!!1!} |
| Plank | 500 | BCCTF{y0U_mUs7_w4lK_A_f1N3_L1n3} |
| Polly's Key | 500 | BCCTF{Th3_P05h_9oLly61Ot_p4rr0t} |
| Tomb | 500 | BCCTF{Buri3d_at_sea_Ent0m3d_amm0nG_th3_w4v3S} |
| Treasure Hunt 4 | 479 | BCCTF{5LiD1n6_W1nd0w5_B3_L1k3:1m_C0nvo1v1nG} |
Web
| Challenge | Points | Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Dubious Doubloon | 500 | BCCTF{Fl1p&F1sH} |
| Quartermaster | 500 | BCCTF{N0_H0nor_AmonG_Th3vEs} |
| Sea Shells | 500 | BCCTF{R34c7_S3rv3r_C0mp0n3n7s_RCE_2025} |
| Treasure Hunt 5 | 492 | BCCTF{$SAFECr4cK1N6_8r1nG5_M3_50_mUCh_J0Y!} |
Misc
| Challenge | Points | Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Battleship | 489 | BCCTF{S0r7_0f_L1k3_SuD0ku} |
| Brown's Revenge | 436 | BCCTF{i_5pe11ed_de_brujin_wr0ng_7689472} |
| Ghost Ship | 494 | BCCTF{N0_moR3_H4un71n6!_N0_M0rE_Gh0575!} |
| PNG (Polly Needs Grog) | 120 | BCCTF{ARRRRRGB_1s_n34T!} |
| Polly th' Parrott | — | BCCTF{CrAK3rs_P31Z} |
| The Boy is Quine | 397 | BCCTF{1t5_mY_t1m3_t0_sh1n3} |
| The Brig | 494 | BCCTF{1--1--1--1--111--111--1111_e1893d6cdf} |
OSINT
| Challenge | Points | Flag / status |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle is the Message | 460 | BCCTF{Crenshaw} |
| Port | — | Unsolved |
Challenge names, points, flags, and solve status are reproduced from the supplied BearcatCTF 2026 notes. See the repository for solution details.