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GCHQ Christmas puzzle likely to be worked out before festive season GCHQ Christmas puzzle likely to be worked out before festive season
(35 minutes later)
Perhaps being one of the country’s leading cryptologists isn’t so difficult after all.Perhaps being one of the country’s leading cryptologists isn’t so difficult after all.
When a mysterious puzzle was posted on the website of the government’s spy agency GCHQ on Wednesday, its creators presumably hoped it would continue to fox recipients well into the festive season. When a mysterious puzzle was posted on the website of the government spy agency GCHQ on Wednesday, its creators presumably hoped it would continue to fox recipients well into the festive season.
But just 24 hours after the intriguing grid, devised by GCHQ analysts, appeared on the secretive body’s website – with a promise that solving it would only unlock a series of increasingly complex brainteasers – a community of online puzzlers believe they have almost cracked the challenge.But just 24 hours after the intriguing grid, devised by GCHQ analysts, appeared on the secretive body’s website – with a promise that solving it would only unlock a series of increasingly complex brainteasers – a community of online puzzlers believe they have almost cracked the challenge.
By sharing tips on the online bulletin board Reddit a number of users have worked their way to the fifth and apparently final stage of the puzzle, uncovering head-scratching number sequences, impenetrable word grids and fiendish cryptic teasers on the way.By sharing tips on the online bulletin board Reddit a number of users have worked their way to the fifth and apparently final stage of the puzzle, uncovering head-scratching number sequences, impenetrable word grids and fiendish cryptic teasers on the way.
In a statement posted on the eavesdropping centre’s website, the director, Robert Hannigan, said he hoped the puzzle – which was also included in official Christmas cards sent out by the agency this week – would “exercise the grey matter over the holiday period”.In a statement posted on the eavesdropping centre’s website, the director, Robert Hannigan, said he hoped the puzzle – which was also included in official Christmas cards sent out by the agency this week – would “exercise the grey matter over the holiday period”.
Those who successfully crack the puzzle’s final stage are invited to submit their answers to the agency, with GCHQ reassuringly saying: “We’re not expecting you to answer everything!” Those who crack the puzzle’s final stage are invited to submit their answers to the agency, with GCHQ reassuringly saying: “We’re not expecting you to answer everything!”
An overall winner be drawn from the top-scoring entrants in early 2016. A winner will be drawn from the top-scoring entrants in early 2016.
A GCHQ spokesman said on Thursday night that while it was possible to reach the conclusion of the puzzle without alerting the agency, no successful entries had yet been submitted to a special email address.A GCHQ spokesman said on Thursday night that while it was possible to reach the conclusion of the puzzle without alerting the agency, no successful entries had yet been submitted to a special email address.
Such was the interest in the puzzle, he said, that it had briefly knocked the agency’s website out of action. There would be a prize for the winner, he said, but Hannigan had yet to decide what it would be. It will be “something small, not a trip around the world,” the spokesman said. “It’s just for fun.” Such was the interest in the puzzle, he said, that it had briefly knocked the agency’s website out of action. There would be a prize for the winner but Hannigan had yet to decide what it would be. It will be “something small, not a trip around the world,” the spokesman said. “It’s just for fun.”
The agency is inviting those who enjoy the puzzle to make a donation to the NSPCC.The agency is inviting those who enjoy the puzzle to make a donation to the NSPCC.
PUZZLE ONE – THE ‘SHADING’ GRIDPUZZLE ONE – THE ‘SHADING’ GRID
All the initial page reveals is that the grid, which lists strings of numbers alongside, is a “shading puzzle”, with each square on the grid either black or white. “Complete the grid carefully with a black pen and check your answer is complete and correct before proceeding,” it advises.All the initial page reveals is that the grid, which lists strings of numbers alongside, is a “shading puzzle”, with each square on the grid either black or white. “Complete the grid carefully with a black pen and check your answer is complete and correct before proceeding,” it advises.
But what happens next? Those hoping to chew over the puzzle alongside their turkey are advised to look away now to avoid potential spoilers.But what happens next? Those hoping to chew over the puzzle alongside their turkey are advised to look away now to avoid potential spoilers.
According to players on the Reddit thread – who also credit commenters under the Guardian story about the puzzle for unlocking one key sequence – the correct solution to part one reveals a QR code, a type of barcode which, when scanned by a smartphone, will take puzzlers to the next stage.According to players on the Reddit thread – who also credit commenters under the Guardian story about the puzzle for unlocking one key sequence – the correct solution to part one reveals a QR code, a type of barcode which, when scanned by a smartphone, will take puzzlers to the next stage.
PUZZLE TWO – SEQUENCINGPUZZLE TWO – SEQUENCING
Part two requires players to solve a number of questions about sequences, asking, for instance, for the odd one out among the following list: MATURE, LOVE, WILDE, BUCKET, BECKHAM and SHAKA.] As one commenter notes on the Reddit thread: “I enjoyed part 2 so much I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.” Part two requires players to solve a number of questions about sequences, asking, for instance, for the odd one out among the following list: MATURE, LOVE, WILDE, BUCKET, BECKHAM and SHAKA. As one commenter notes on the Reddit thread: “I enjoyed part 2 so much I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.”
Similarly baffling questions in the second stage ask challengers to correctly identify the next letter in the sequence D, D, P, V, C, C, D, and predict what three-letter hashtag follows this garbled semaphore message: ZGJJQ EZRXM. Solving there and other questions unlocks part three, a cryptic round accessed via a URL revealed via the correct answers.Similarly baffling questions in the second stage ask challengers to correctly identify the next letter in the sequence D, D, P, V, C, C, D, and predict what three-letter hashtag follows this garbled semaphore message: ZGJJQ EZRXM. Solving there and other questions unlocks part three, a cryptic round accessed via a URL revealed via the correct answers.
PUZZLE THREE – CRYPTIC CLUESPUZZLE THREE – CRYPTIC CLUES
In the third round the answer to each of the four questions is a single word, which collectively form a URL leading to the fourth set of challenges. A sample question: “Samuel says: if agony is the opposite of denial, and witty is the opposite of tepid, then what is the opposite of smart?”In the third round the answer to each of the four questions is a single word, which collectively form a URL leading to the fourth set of challenges. A sample question: “Samuel says: if agony is the opposite of denial, and witty is the opposite of tepid, then what is the opposite of smart?”
The Samuel in samuel says is Samuel Morse. The opposite of each word is derived by writing each word in Morse code and swapping the dots and dashes, ignoring spaces. In this case ...--.-.-.- transforms to ---..-.-.-., which translates to “often” – the answer to the question and one of four words in the url of section four. The Samuel in question is Samuel Morse. The opposite of each word is derived by writing each word in morse code and swapping the dots and dashes, ignoring spaces. In this case ...--.-.-.- transforms to ---..-.-.-., which translates to “often” – the answer to the question and one of four words in the url of section four.
PUZZLE FOUR – THE IP ADDRESSPUZZLE FOUR – THE IP ADDRESS
In part four, players are asked to find the missing number in three sequences, the solutions of which can be used to generate an IP address. The challenge proved the hardest to crack online, with several users opting to use “brute force” trial and error to guess to correct answers.In part four, players are asked to find the missing number in three sequences, the solutions of which can be used to generate an IP address. The challenge proved the hardest to crack online, with several users opting to use “brute force” trial and error to guess to correct answers.
All three sequences contain a string of numbers seemingly completely unrelated. The third and final question in the puzzle read simply: “321, 444, 675, 680, 370, 268, 949, 206, 851, ?” The answer, revealed by breaking the numbers into their three digits and sequences separately, was revealed as 208.All three sequences contain a string of numbers seemingly completely unrelated. The third and final question in the puzzle read simply: “321, 444, 675, 680, 370, 268, 949, 206, 851, ?” The answer, revealed by breaking the numbers into their three digits and sequences separately, was revealed as 208.
PUZZLE FIVE – THE FINAL TESTPUZZLE FIVE – THE FINAL TEST
Part five, according to a screengrab of the GCHQ web page posted by one user, is the final stage, in which users are asked to consider a grid of 55 words, and work out where one additional word, CYBER, should sit within it.Part five, according to a screengrab of the GCHQ web page posted by one user, is the final stage, in which users are asked to consider a grid of 55 words, and work out where one additional word, CYBER, should sit within it.
By early evening on Thursday, no successful answers had been posted on the Reddit thread. The race, however, is unquestionably on.By early evening on Thursday, no successful answers had been posted on the Reddit thread. The race, however, is unquestionably on.