Not an expert on this subject but wanted to spread something interesting,

Cicada 3301 made their first 39 Clues style puzzle on steroids in 2012, specifically on January 4th, 2012 (January 4th would be the start date of all of their puzzles going forward.) 3 days earlier, MAGA was registered:

On January 1, 2012, a group of Trump supporters filed paperwork with the Texas Secretary of State's office to create the "Make America Great Again Party", which would have allowed Trump to be that party's nominee if he had decided to become a third-party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Trump himself began using the slogan formally on November 7, 2012, the day after Barack Obama won his reelection against Mitt Romney.

The puzzles challenged every user to an extreme series of finding clues using their knowledge of cryptography, especially cybersecurity. Eventually, users would have to spend their own resources to get around the globe to find the last clues and complete the final puzzle. The puzzles were designed so that only people working alone (or possibly in a tight and extremely small group together, in person) could complete it. Anecdotal accounts describe being approached by military/intelligence agents describing a whole new life and understanding of the world and a chance to make history if they joined. (Sorry I can't find them)

The another puzzle was posted in 2013, and again in 2014. In 2014, the Navy ran their own puzzle called Project Architeuthis. In 2015, the puzzles ceased, but Trump announced his candidacy and the "Prophecy of Kek" took over 4chan, it seemed like interest in Cicada vanished. On January 5th, 2016, they left one last puzzle seemingly saying goodbye by telling everyone that no more puzzles would be posted.

In late October 2017, "Q Clearance Patriot" makes his first post, later becoming identified by the chans as Qanon and later simply as Q.

Q describes maps and keys and speaks in puzzles and clues. Many have compared it to Cicada already. One thing interesting is that Cicada said they "got who they needed" while Q has described their group as "less than 10". Cicadas are reemerging this year after 17(Q) years. Also Q has made clear their disliking of Planned Parenthood, a group that got hacked by someone calling themselves 3301, though possibly unrelated.

Anyone else got an idea on this connection?