[unknown_user_84]

That makes sense. My VPN testing affirms it. Houston node doesn't work, Atlanta node does. I guess someone decided my IP range warranted extra attention. Though that still doesn't quite square with what I'm seeing; it's feels like the CAPTCHA is broken.

All I have to base that on is when I click on the checkbox sometimes no images load and it checks and then unchecks. Sometimes I seem to get the "hard set" though I think I missed part of the boat or something. I've been able to run through enough fails that I'd expect to get the hard set but don't. Which makes me think it isn't actually working right...

I'm calling the "hard set" those images they give you that are super extra grainy.

I'm almost curious enough to see what I can divine from inspecting their network requests but I have a hunch they have a vested interest in making that annoying.

Or maybe there are way more CAPTCHAs to click through than I'm thinking. To anyone: What is the highest number of CAPTCHAs you've clicked through and actually got a site, any site, to load at the end? I'm legit curious at this point.

[unknown_user_84]

Leaving this here in case anyone runs into this. By putting chrome into incognito mode I am able to access archive.ph. Normal profile gets infinite CAPTCHA.

So I'm thinking messed up cookies or extensions and IP reputation stuff are probably the root of this.

Edit:

cookies or extensions based on testing with chrome normal vs incognito on the same host

IP reputation based on testing with VPN using the same browser