# Want to be a spy? Take the test!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-a-spy-take-the-test/287366>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 30, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-a-spy-take-the-test/287366 "2005-01-30T03:09:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-a-spy-take-the-test/287366/1 "2005-01-30T03:09:32Z")

</div>

The British Government needs new spies. If you can [pass the test](http://www.gchq.gov.uk/codebreaking/index.html), that is.

Anyone tried it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sir\_Dirx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Sir\_Dirx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Dirx)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-a-spy-take-the-test/287366/2 "2005-01-30T18:02:36Z")

</div>

Thanks for posting this _after_ the deadline, ensuring none of us here can get a free book out of it. 😛

Not like I’d win anyway… I only got one name, and apparently the cypher is different for each name… Dammit, I hate these puzzles! Curse you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dancer\_Flight](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dancer_flight/32/7601_2.png) [@Dancer\_Flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dancer_Flight)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-a-spy-take-the-test/287366/3 "2005-01-30T22:00:52Z")

</div>

Having spent far too much time at this, I’m stuck on the last pair. (And yes I did use the help page to get me started).

Man = UFIV WKXXZY  
Woman = AQSEWKC XFIWFSYK

Can anyone with a hint for this post a spoiler box for me? 😃  
I want to at least take a swing at the secret message.  
-DF

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-a-spy-take-the-test/287366/4 "2005-02-01T00:41:03Z")

</div>

Looks like GCHQ are going soft. About 8 years ago they did one for recruiting code breakers that just said find the hidden messages in our web site. Including several very obscure ones hidden in gif and jpg files.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-a-spy-take-the-test/287366/5 "2005-02-01T01:02:15Z")

</div>

This is MPSIMS, right?

:: checks to be sure ::

Okay, then. My aunt-in-law (cousin’s husband’s mother) was a British spy in Vietnam. It’s sort of hard to picture Lady Ruth\* as a spy, but that’s the story.

\*Swear to god, she’s a Lady. Her husband is Sir Donald. My middle-class American family is still somewhat incredulous that we have relatives with _titles_.