Puzzlers rejoice: the GCHQ Christmas quiz has been released.
Every year the UK’s intelligence, security and cyber agency creates a ‘Christmas Challenge’ puzzle “aimed at teenagers and young people” that often leaves adults scratching their heads for the answer.
The director of GCHQ Anne 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 focus of the 2024 quiz is the geography of GCHQ, which has sites across the UK including Manchester, London, Scarborough, Bude and its Cheltenham headquarters.
Read below for handy hints and (spoiler alert) the full answers.
If you’re struggling to find the answers, here are a set of hints from GCHQ to give you a helping hand:
1. Maybe one of your PALs can help you with the fourth picture.
2. What Code do you follow to Cross the road safely?
3. Which show features a panther?
4. Not all of the sequences read forwards. The letter in the top left box is E, as that is the only letter in both GHEE and DENIM.
5. What sort of insects live in colonies? Was not knowing that the CAUSE of you needing a hint for this puzzle?
6. Write out the numbers 1-20, and then write the numbers in the question underneath them. What are the numerical differences?
7. The first two words in are ‘PERHAPS READING’. Use this to work out which letters represent A, D, E, G, H, I, N, P, R and S. These will help you find out how the MESSAGE is CIPHERED
If the hints just aren’t working and you’re about ready to snap your pencil in two, here are the answers to the 2024 GCHQ Christmas quiz.
Question 1
The answer is: Buckingham Palace (the images display ‘buck’, ‘king’, ‘ham’ followed by ‘pal’ and ‘ace’, which put together make the words Buckingham Palace).
Question 2
The answer is: Blackpool Tower (the award is Blue Peter Badge, the carrier is Brown Paper Bag, the character is Red Riding Hood, the programme is Pink Panther Show, the route is Yellow Brick Road, and the safety guide is the Green Cross Code – which leaves the words: Black, Pool and Tower).
Question 3
The answer is: University of Cambridge (UN, IV, ER, ER, IS, TY, OF, CAM, BRI, DGE – UN is ‘one’ in French, completing the countdown from three; IV is 4 in the sequence of Roman numerals after two and three; ER is ‘RE’ backwards in the musical scale of Do-Re-Mi; I and S and letters 9 and 19 of the alphabet in a sequence that also has letters 7 and 17, 8 and 18; TY are the final letters in the QWERTY keyboard; OF is the middle word in Joan of Arc; CAM is Mac backwards in the name Old Mac Donald; BRI fills in the gap to spell Great Britain; and DGE is the end of the word ‘knowledge’).
Question 4
The answer is: Edinburgh Castle (DENIM, GRUB, CHA CHA CHA, STYLE, GHEE, LORD, KICK IT OUT, BASSOON)
Question 5
The answer is: Giants Causeway (Soldier is GI, insects is ants, basis is cause, path is way)
Question 6
The answer is: Stonehenge (Working out the difference between the correct and incorrect numbers gives the sequence 19, 20, 15, 14, 5, 8, 5, 14, 7, 5, which corresponding with the alphabet spells out Stonehenge).
Question 7
The answer is: Principality Stadium (the cipher spells out ‘perhaps reading it not ciphered is primarily a leading indication to you solving this admittedly devious initially unreadable message’ – the first letter of every word spells out the answer).
The GCHQ Puzzle Book | £13.59 from Amazon
The GCHQ Puzzle Book II | £13.59 from Amazon
Puzzles for Spies | £10.11 from Amazon
