Yes. Good summary. That is exactly what happened.
Of note: It would be easier to rewrite the algo to produce the result than to try new salts.
Of course, this would require the poser had root access to the underlying server. (Entirely possible.) Which would point the finger at Jim Watkins or some tech at the Hosting Service.
Salt Rotation - There is a computer language "Equation" that will encode/decode your password using a random number. That number is the Salt (or Seed).
You are Salting the equation with a number. It could also be called "Seeding" and equation. A given password will yield access and also give a TripCode. A TripCode is literally a visible UserID that proves the writer knew the right password.
Rotating the Salt, gives a new starting point for the equation, and will end with a new TripCode for the old password.
8Kun experienced this. Someone rotated the salt (or easier yet, the equation) until it yielded the known Q TripCode. They left a few Q-crumbs which did not look right. Then Anons figured out that the Salt had been rotated because other people's TripCodes had changed, yet the Q TripCode did not change. Then it got changed back to the original Salt. Other TripCodes returned to normal and there were no more Q-crumbs.
It was a sham. Most Anons did not fall for the ploy, although a few did.
The Zero-Delta proofs were backwards. First Trump, then "Q". Not valid.
Should be first Q, then Trump within a minute.
And the Q post should have a TripCode. Q's TripCode.
The Zero-Deltas that did match Trump posts had no TripCode. Not valid.
Then the Fake Q cried like a baby, insisting that it was illegal to use a TripCode. That's why the new drops had no trip code. Very lame. Never saw Q cry like a baby trying to prove identity. It was really sad and noticeable.
Therefore, the recent Q-posts are all faked at worst, extremely suspect at best. Hope that helps.
Good liars have a lot of truth in their talk. That way, unless you are paying close attention you miss the lies.