Ms Keast-Butler, GCHQ’s director, said: “The challenge has been designed for a mix of minds to solve, so is best tackled in groups of classmates, families or friends.
“Whether you have an analytical mind, a creative brain or prefer engineering, there’s something for everyone.”
Meanwhile, “Colin”, who could not be shown on camera, told the BBC that the challenge was created “partly for fun” – but also because the kind of thinking required to solve it “replicates” the kind of work done in GCHQ “defending the nation.”
“We require a mix of minds and a mix of approaches to solve real world puzzles and because of that we encourage diverse thinking and that embraces neurodiversity,” he said.
Asked whether he would recommend a career at GCHQ for school children who find they can do the puzzle relatively easily, the agency’s chief puzzler said such “intelligence” is exactly what the department is after.
He added that, with secondary schools downloading the tests, “a very large number of school children will see this and hopefully be inspired”.
The full challenge can be viewed below or on GCHQ’s website, external.
