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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor

Testing times: GCHQ releases annual festive puzzle

GCHQ
Aerial shot of the GCHQ building in Cheltenham
GCHQ’s annual puzzle is a rare opportunity to engage the public and encourage children to take up science, engineering, technology and maths. Photograph: GCHQ/PA

GCHQ has released its annual Christmas puzzle aimed at secondary school children and curious adults ready to test their mathematical, code-breaking and analysis skills.

Puzzlers have to first answer seven questions, each of which has a one-word answer that can follow “Christmas”, before taking letters from the seven answers and placing them into a grid to produce a seasonal message.

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