The Definitely Not Cryptic skin is one of the hardest-earned cosmetics in Far Far West. It sits at Legendary rarity, costs nothing in gold, and has a single unlock condition that will either make you laugh or groan: eliminate 25,000 Cryptics. That is not a typo. Twenty-five thousand skeletal enemies, spread across however many runs it takes. The good news is there is a specific farming method that cuts the grind down significantly, and this guide covers exactly how to do it.
What is the Definitely Not Cryptic skin?
According to the Far Far West wiki, Definitely Not Cryptic is described as "The Cryptics' most brilliant spy. He protects his secret identity by introducing himself as 'Definitely not Cryptic'." The skin is classified as Legendary rarity with a Default price, meaning you pay nothing once the challenge is complete. The only gate is the kill count.
Cryptics are the skeletal enemy type you encounter across all maps in the game. Any variant counts toward the 25,000 total, so you are not locked into hunting a specific subtype.
Definitely Not Cryptic unlock screen
The unlock challenge is titled "Kill 25,000 Cryptics (any kind)," confirmed by the Far Far West wiki. Every Cryptic variant you eliminate across all your runs counts toward the total.
Why does this grind take so long without a strategy?
Playing casually, you might clear 30 to 50 Cryptics per run depending on the map and difficulty. At that rate, reaching 25,000 kills would take hundreds of runs. Most players who stumble into this skin unlock it accidentally after dozens of hours, never having targeted the grind directly. The trick is to stop treating Cryptic kills as a side effect of playing and start treating them as the objective.
What is the best build for farming Cryptics fast?
The farming method documented by nintendosmash.com centers on a Nightmare Difficulty run with a mobility-and-AOE build. Enemy spawn rates, including Cryptics, increase on Nightmare, which is the core reason this difficulty is worth the extra danger.
Here is the exact setup recommended in the source material:
Thunder Strike does the heavy lifting here. Its AOE coverage lets you hit large clusters of Cryptics in a single cast, which is the only realistic way to clear 50+ enemies per danger zone. Wallo slows enemies down so they bunch together before you drop the strike. Boing keeps you mobile enough to round up stragglers without taking unnecessary damage.
Thunder Strike clears Cryptic clusters
Which maps work best for Cryptic farming?
The source material specifies two maps as the best options: Desert and Far West. Both are open environments that support fast movement and give you room to round up enemies before landing your AOE spells. Tight, enclosed maps slow you down and make it harder to group enemies effectively.
For secrets and collectables on these maps, the Far Far West secrets and collectables guide has full coverage if you want to double up on objectives during your runs.
How to run the Cryptic farm
Here is the exact loop to follow each run:
- Select the Desert or Far West map on Nightmare Difficulty.
- Load in with the build listed above: Sheriff Star, jump Joker, Impulse Grenades, Boing, Thunder Strike, Wallo.
- Navigate to the first Danger Zone on the map using your speed and jump attributes.
- Use your momentum to round up all Cryptics in the zone, pulling them into a tight group.
- Cast Wallo to slow the group, then drop Thunder Strike in the center.
- Move to the next Danger Zone and repeat.
- After clearing all Danger Zones, intentionally die to end the run and reset.
With roughly 4 Danger Zones per map and 50+ Cryptics clearable per zone, you can hit 200+ Cryptic kills per run. At that rate, 25,000 kills becomes a much more manageable target.
Nightmare Difficulty is genuinely punishing if you deviate from this build. Stick to the AOE-focused setup. Going in with a single-target weapon will slow your clear speed and increase the risk of dying before you finish all the zones.
How many runs does it actually take?
At 200 Cryptics per run, reaching 25,000 requires approximately 125 runs. That sounds like a lot, but each run is short by design since you are intentionally dying after the Danger Zones are cleared. Efficient runs can be completed quickly, making this a grind you can chip away at in focused sessions rather than marathon playthroughs.
Do not wait until the Cryptic grind to start learning Nightmare Difficulty. Running it regularly for other objectives means your kill count grows passively, and you will have fewer dedicated farm runs to complete.
Is the Definitely Not Cryptic skin worth the grind?
That depends on how much you value cosmetics. The skin is Legendary rarity and free once unlocked, which makes it one of the more prestigious cosmetics you can show off. For players who enjoy the grind loop of roguelite games, the farming method above makes the process feel structured rather than endless. For players who just want to see the skin in their collection, the optimized run loop is the only realistic path to getting there without waiting years of casual play.
For other cosmetics worth chasing, the Far Far West all unlocks guide covering mounts, emotes, and titles breaks down every unlock requirement and which rewards are worth prioritizing.
For more guides on Far Far West covering weapons, secrets, and hidden quests, the full guide collection has everything you need to make the most of each run.