Doing the GCHQ Christmas challenge? Let these experts help you
Still puzzled by the GCHQ Christmas challenge, are you?
This year, the public has been invited to decipher the names of famous UK landmarks, putting their skills in areas like codebreaking, math, and creative problem-solving to the test.
Each year, a tricky puzzle is designed to challenge the minds of individuals aspiring to join the intelligence field. This puzzle is presented as a Christmas card from Anne Keast-Butler, the head of the national spy agency.
To assist you in tackling these challenges, we’ve consulted some puzzle experts to gain insights on how to overcome the difficulties you might face.
Take a look and rest easy – we haven’t revealed any answers.
Ms. Keast-Butler's sole piece of advice shared with BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning was the importance of teamwork and encouraging a diverse range of perspectives.
Bobby Seagull, a math instructor, author, and enthusiast for tackling challenges, shares this perspective.
"We all recall from our school years that individuals possess various abilities," he explains. "Some might approach problems mathematically, while others learn best through visual means or have a talent for languages."
"It demonstrates that a variety of skills are important."
The initial and simplest question consists of five pictures that depict a specific location.
Susan Okereke, a mathematics educator known for creating puzzles for BBC Radio 4, admitted that she felt quite daunted by the task at first.
"I couldn't believe it; there was no chance it was GCHQ!"
However, she was able to solve the puzzle by vocalizing it.
I was gazing at it, wondering what kind of noise it makes.
"At that point, I realized it must be related to a specific place, which helped to refine my search."
Dr. Barry R. Clarke, who has written numerous puzzle books, managed to solve the initial puzzle in just around two minutes.
However, the second one left people a little more puzzled.
"My initial thought was to focus on the colors of the London underground tube lines, but I wasn't making any progress."
He recommended looking through the columns instead and trying to find any potential links.
One of the more challenging questions requires participants to determine the difference between what the quiz creators wrote and the actual numbers from one to twenty.
"It seems to be designed for a rotation of sorts," Dr. Clarke explains. "You might begin in the center and gradually work your way outward, aiming to cover everything from one to ten."
Mr. Seagull employs a targeted two-fold strategy to tackle the GCHQ challenge, which he describes as the pinnacle of his "year of puzzles."
"It might take a couple of hours or even days, but give your mind some time to process it," he suggests.
The initial approach involves a thorough or straightforward analysis. Begin by examining the puzzle, highlighting important terms, and identifying what information you have as well as what remains unclear.
Alan Connor, the crossword editor at the Guardian and the puzzle consultant for the BBC One detective series Ludwig, reassured viewers that there's no need to feel embarrassed about lacking knowledge.
Keep in mind that the individual who created the puzzle actually wants you to figure it out.
A puzzle shared with the public won't require knowledge that you don't already have.
He mentioned that although GCHQ employees create many puzzles that require specific knowledge, they do so for their own enjoyment and share them among themselves.
"They want you to feel a sense of accomplishment that comes from overcoming some challenges," he explains.
The primary difficulty, according to him, is figuring out what the puzzle is really requesting.
He elaborates: "In contrast to sudoku or a standard crossword, the puzzle here isn't immediately obvious. You don't start with a clear idea of what you're trying to figure out. First, you need to determine what the actual question is, and then you have to find the answer."
You can check out the complete challenge on GCHQ's official website here.
