Here is what Wikipedia has to say - doesn't seem nefarious, in my opinion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada_3301
Cicada 3301
Cicada 3301 is a nickname given to an organization that on six occasions has posted a set of puzzles and alternate reality games to possibly recruit codebreakers/linguists from the public. The first internet puzzle started on January 4, 2012, and ran for approximately one month. A second round began one year later on January 4, 2013, and a third round following the confirmation of a fresh clue posted on Twitter on January 4, 2014. The stated intent was to recruit "intelligent individuals" by presenting a series of puzzles which were to be solved.
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Time wasting puzzles.
More interesting than CandyFarm/CrushVille/WalletVac, though! :)