Particle.news
Download on the App Store

GCHQ Unveils 2025 Christmas Challenge With Student-Designed Covers

The tenth edition features school-made card fronts to inspire interest in real-world codebreaking skills.

Overview

  • The agency released seven new puzzles that test codebreaking, maths, analysis, lateral thinking, ingenuity and perseverance.
  • The card is free to download from GCHQ.gov.uk, and media have published the official solutions, including the final message: "Round the country, round the clock."
  • Three students won the cover competition from more than 500 entrants: Haoran (Wilson’s School, London), Mariia (The Henry Beaufort School, Winchester) and Amelie (South Wilts Grammar School, Salisbury).
  • GCHQ’s chief puzzler said the brainteasers were built for different skill sets and encouraged collaborative solving by classmates, families and friends.
  • The agency highlighted the challenge’s popularity, noting last year’s card was downloaded more than 140,000 times.