Call to aspiring spies to see if you can solve GCHQ’s notoriously tricky annual Christmas puzzle

Budding spies have been assigned a festive mission straight from the UK’s national security agency this Christmas.

GCHQ is encouraging both children and adults alike to download its brain-teasing Christmas card, featuring its annual puzzle.

Masterminded by a team of puzzling experts who work at the government communications headquarters, the card is sent by director Anne Keast-Butler and the brainteasers range in difficulty to reveal a final hidden message.

The focus of this year’s quiz is the geography of the intelligence and cyber organisation, which operates across the UK from its HQ in Cheltenham, Manchester, London, Scarborough and Bude.

This year, for the first time, there are three additional elements hidden within the card for those who want to take on an extra challenge.

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Ms Keast-Butler said:  “Puzzles have always been at the heart of GCHQ, and the skills needed to solve them are just as relevant in 2024 as they were over 100 years ago.

“This year’s challenge features seven puzzles, plus several hidden elements for those who want an extra test. The puzzles are aimed at teenagers and young people, but everyone is encouraged to give them a try – they might surprise you.”

The puzzles include skills such as codebreaking, maths and analysis and test lateral thinking, ingenuity and perseverance.

Just like the work that goes on at GCHQ every day, the Christmas brainteasers will require different approaches and different ways of thinking.

GCHQ’s chief puzzler, Colin, said: “You can see from the range of puzzles that some parts are trickier than others. However, you do not have to be a genius or top of the class to solve them – you just have to be able to work in a team and embrace the mix of minds and approaches teamwork brings. This is exactly how we work at GCHQ.

“We also hope to show young people through this Challenge that thinking differently is a gift.

“We’d love to see how you get on with the Challenge, so please let us know by tagging us – or asking a grown-up to tag us – in a post on Instagram, X or LinkedIn @GCHQ.

“Happy puzzle-solving!”