Never mind Secret Santa or where the TV remote control has been hidden, the real mysteries this Christmas have been set by GCHQ.
The Cheltenham-based cyber spy agency has appealed to Britain’s young people to “discover their inner intelligence officer” by decoding a set of fiendish puzzles contained in their Christmas card.
The quiz, aimed at youngsters with an interest in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), has seven puzzles, increasing in difficulty.
Rather worryingly, GCHQ has encouraged Britain’s adults to “test their skills as well and see if they are as clever as an 11-year-old”.
The agency hopes secondary schools and colleges up and down the country will take part in their Christmas challenge.
They hope more young people will take an interest in STEM subjects and consider future careers in the intelligence services.
Director GCHQ, Sir Jeremy Fleming, said: “From Enigma to artificial intelligence, GCHQ's history is full of talented people tackling the country’s most complex challenges. If we’re to help keep the country safe, problem-solving skills and teamwork are absolutely crucial.
“That’s why this year’s Christmas puzzles are aimed at young people.
“I want to show young people that thinking differently is a gift. It is only with the right mix of minds that they can solve seemingly impossible problems, just like we do at GCHQ.”
The GCHQ Christmas card is traditionally sent to other spy agencies and partners across the world.
This year the card sets a not-so-secret mission for young people through a set of puzzles which increase in difficulty, each aimed at a particular age group.
To support greater take up of STEM subjects, particularly among young girls, GCHQ has partnered with the organisation Stemettes on several activities over recent years.
Supporting this year’s Christmas card challenge, CEO of Stemettes Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, said: “No matter your age, STEM skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving are important skills to have.
In my work across the Stemettes with partners like GCHQ, we want all kinds of people to have the chance to explore these skills, and for those that enjoy this type of challenge to get an opportunity to further themselves in these areas.
“GCHQ’s Christmas Challenge is a fun festive way to do this, and I’d encourage schools and those who work with children to explore this type of activity as another way to engage the next generation in some light-hearted STEM fun.”
Can you crack the mystery?
Solve the puzzles, which increase in difficulty. Link each answer to the glowing node on the tree (below) that best matches the question or answer. Once complete, discover the hidden message, reading from top to bottom.
11-12 years
Clue here: reading initials spells this message's answer. Simple!
12-13 years
Enter your four letter answers in the grid. 1. This is the word you want 2. Noise made by owl 3. US state with capital Des Moines 4. Adult male deer
13-14 years
What completes the sequence: GRYFFINDOR, UFFLEPUF, VENCL, ???
14-15 years
Within the grid are a number of hidden mines. The numbers indicate how many mines are in the squares adjacent to each number. Locate the mines to reveal a four letter word.
15-16 years
Do Kindly Place Cover On Fresh Green Spring Vegetables is a mnemonic meant to help you remember a list of scientific words. Which word does Kindly help you remember?
16-17 years
What six letter word does the ? represent in this Venn diagram?
17-18 years
Solve the code: answer the question; encode the answer: Cwog og cwi 7cwahigcoet: xiexui kent kicziit toticiit lencj gov stf toticiït govcj lehn sni yeppetuj dtezt sg kskj zwsc?
