The UK’s intelligence agency, GCHQ, has released its annual cryptic Christmas card, inviting fans of codebreaking, maths, and brainteasers to try their hand at a series of festive puzzles.
This year’s card, created with the help of “schoolchildren as well as spies,” features seven puzzles designed by the agency’s in-house puzzlers to test skills like intuitive reasoning and lateral thinking. The initiative, aimed at inspiring children aged 11 to 18, showcases the abilities “they might need to become a spy.”
The design itself resulted from a public competition where young people were asked: “What do you think GCHQ looks like on Christmas Day?” and encouraged to embed hidden codes in their entries. Three winners across different age groups were selected to have their ideas shape the final card.
“Puzzles are at the heart of GCHQ’s work to keep the country safe from hostile states, terrorists and criminals,” said Director Anne Keast-Butler. She expressed hope that the challenge would encourage young people to explore STEM subjects and consider careers in cybersecurity and intelligence.
The agency’s “Chief Puzzler,” known only as “Colin,” noted that the puzzles test “the same blend of skills our teams use every day to keep the country safe.” True to GCHQ’s collaborative ethos, the puzzles “aren’t meant to be solved alone”—reflecting the agency’s belief that “the right mix of minds” can solve even the most impossible problems.
By James Kisoo
