# GCHQ Christmas Challenge **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** board-card-word-game\ **Created:** [December 14, 2022, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507 "2022-12-14T13:11:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/21 "2023-12-15T17:47:28Z")
Excellent work - high five!! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/22 "2023-12-15T17:55:58Z")
Okay, 6 is a fun one. Each bar represents a binary number with the half notes as 0 and the quarter notes as 1. So the numbers are 00011 00001 10010 01111 01100 Which translate in decimal to 3 - 1 - 18 - 15- 12. Which translate in letters to C-A-R-O-L. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/23 "2023-12-15T18:01:05Z")
Nicely done! ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/24 "2023-12-15T18:09:09Z")
And the overall answer is YULETIDE FELICITATIONS . That was fun, and as you said, great teamwork! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/25 "2023-12-15T18:13:56Z")
Oh, I’ve just figured out how you got that. Nice! ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/26 "2023-12-15T20:52:13Z")
I was able to solve the entire puzzle last year and this year, including the final message and the solution word for puzzle #3, except Yorkshire. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/27 "2024-12-11T10:29:21Z")
The 2024 challenge is out: [![](https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GCHQ-Christmas-Challenge-2024.jpg) ](https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GCHQ-Christmas-Challenge-2024.jpg) > **[GCHQ%20Christmas%20Challenge%202024.pdf](https://www.gchq.gov.uk/files/GCHQ%20Christmas%20Challenge%202024.pdf)** ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/28 "2024-12-11T10:43:09Z")
A first quick bash - some of the others will need writing down for me to solve. 1 Buckingham Palace 2 Blackpool Tower 3 UN, IV, ER, SI, TY, OF, CAM, BRI, DGE 5 GI, ANTS, CAUSE, WAY ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/30 "2024-12-11T11:27:09Z")
Just noticed this thread. Started one myself in MPSIMS, solved it in about 15 minutes. Note you will need the picture on the main page, not included in the PDF > **[The GCHQ Christmas Challenge 2024](https://www.gchq.gov.uk/news/gchq-christmas-challenge-2024)** > > Download your festive puzzling adventure with our latest Christmas Challenge Edit, my mistake, it is in the PDF, don’t know how I missed it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/31 "2024-12-11T18:09:41Z")
To finish off Gyrate’s list: 4 EDINBURGH CASTLE 6 STONEHENGE 7 PRINCIPALITY STADIUM Final answer: Using Santa’s route and the numbered letters for each item UNITED IN PROTECTING THE KINGDOM ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/32 "2024-12-11T20:06:52Z")
Shouldn’t that route say, We wish you a (. . . .)(. \_)(. \_ \_ .)(. \_ \_ .)( \_ . \_ \_ ) Christmas? It is British, after all ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/33 "2024-12-11T20:43:00Z")
Heh, completely missed that. I don’t know why Americans seem to think we say Happy Christmas by default, (I’ve seen this in several threads now). The expression is always “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/34 "2024-12-11T21:06:39Z")
And after translating it the carol in particular uses the phrase “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/35 "2024-12-11T23:56:38Z")
I opened this thead and scrolled down, then I started solving last year’s card without noticing. I understand the 7 clue words, but does anyone remember how they got the final answer YULETIDE FELICITATIONS? I’ll start on this year’s puzzle, too. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/36 "2024-12-12T01:17:59Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > but does anyone remember how they got the final answer YULETIDE FELICITATIONS? Look at the symbol in the outline of the question, match it with the colour scheme, then use the letter in the word. For example the first letter is pink and white, look at the picture, it’s the gingerbread man. Question 2 has the gingerbread man symbol, so the first letter is letter 3 from the answer to question 2. (DAY) ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/37 "2024-12-12T03:17:20Z")
If you’d like entire books of these puzzles, get _The GCHQ Puzzle Book_, _The GCHQ Puzzle Book II_, and _Puzzles for Spies_. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/38 "2024-12-12T06:43:13Z")
> [@colinfred](#): > > Look at the symbol in the outline of the question, match it with the colour scheme, then use the letter in the word. For example the first letter is pink and white, look at the picture, it’s the gingerbread man. Question 2 has the gingerbread man symbol, so the first letter is letter 3 from the answer to question 2. (DAY) Thanks. For some reason, my brain was trying to work it the other way; I kept think the number was which answer (1-7), and the color code (matching the ornament, mitten, or whatever) told which letter to take. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/39 "2024-12-12T07:50:00Z")
I got all of the clues this time except 6. From Gyrate’s answer, I was able to figure how they got the correct answer. Again I’m stumped on the final answer. I worked out the Morse code. I see the animals with the numbers underneath, and I’m just not seeing the connection with those. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/40 "2024-12-12T10:21:30Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I got all of the clues this time except 6. From Gyrate’s answer, I was able to figure how they got the correct answer. > > Again I’m stumped on the final answer. I worked out the Morse code. I see the animals with the numbers underneath, and I’m just not seeing the connection with those Look at Santa’s route. The first place he visits is the Principality Stadium, which is represented by the robin icon, so look at the robin, then take letters 18, 4, 6 ,11 from “Principality stadium”. Repeat the process for each place Santa visits in order. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2024, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507/41 "2024-12-12T10:34:59Z")
Thanks. So the left-to-right order of the animals (unicorn, owl, etc.) doesn’t mean anything. Plus, I wouldn’t know where most of those landmarks are in the UK, anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gchq-christmas-challenge/976507.md?page=3)