How to tackle GCHQ’s fiendish Christmas card quiz

Seven-part puzzle aimed at scientifically-minded secondary school pupils to encourage interest in secretive organisation’s operations

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the UK intelligence and security organisation, has sent out a seven-part quiz for secondary school children inside its annual Christmas card in order to encourage interest in its usually highly secretive operations.

The challenge is aimed at teenagers interested in science and technology with an eye to future recruitment and requires participants to work as a team.

Of the seven puzzles, six have one word answers that need to be assembled into a three word phrase with the help of the what3words mobile app in order to reveal an address.

What3words maps the world as a giant grid of three-metre squares and assigns every location a combination of three everyday words, allowing people to identify a precise spot with ease.

The Christmas tree on the front of the card offers a clue as to how the words should be arranged.

The final puzzle has a three-word answer that can again be turned into a location using the same app.

The ultimate solution can be found by taking a single word from each of the locations, to produce a seasonal message.

“From breaking Enigma to harnessing the latest cutting-edge technology, our brilliant people have worked together throughout our history to help keep the country safe,” said GCHQ chief Sir Jeremy Fleming.

“This year’s GCHQ Christmas card challenge gives an insight into the skills we need every day as part of our mission – from languages to coding.

“But skills alone won’t be enough to crack this one. Puzzlers need to combine a mix of minds to solve the seemingly impossible.”

Explaining its reasons for issuing regular quizzes, GCHQ states on its website: “In order to keep up with the ever-changing environment we work and live in, and to protect it effectively, we need to have the right mix of minds approaching every single problem that comes our way using the best methods possible.

“This does not just happen. We need to adapt and innovate constantly. Through the design, creation and solving of puzzles, our teams are able to constantly develop their skills in thinking differently and discover new and inventive ways of approaching problems.

“Whilst this does not mean that staff at GCHQ spend their time putting together jigsaws and filling out crosswords, it does ensure that we attract colleagues who enjoy spending their time creating and solving puzzles. It’s a brilliant way to hone your creative thinking skills whilst having fun, and it helps to keep us at the cutting-edge of what we do best.”

Schools interested in taking part can find a resource pack on the GCHQ website.