Until recently I was entirely ignorant of this fascinating occurrence. But I was listening to NPR a few weeks ago (God bless public media!) and they had a segment on the first and second rounds.
The concept piqued my interest: anonymously post elaborate and increasingly difficult cryptographic challenges on the internet. The purpose is even more fascinating, as it is not yet known. If you're still lost, read here for more info.
I haven't dug very far into the scene, or even the puzzles, and I don't know how far I would get with a layman's understanding of cryptanalysis, but I'm determined to at least read the (public) decrypts and work towards an understanding of what they're trying to bring out with these tests.
I have a peculiar relationship with tests. I can usually see the purpose of the question before I know the right answer. The two are not even remotely the same thing. I think the Cicada group relies heavily on this aspect of testing, and I likewise think that many laymen and even expert cryptanalysts may not know which attributes the Cicada group is looking for, or indeed how badly they're being played.
These guys, whoever they are, either have some serious firepower on their side, or some seriously scary free time.
Discuss, or admit your ignorance.