Brainteasers are a great way to push one of the body’s most important organs to its limits. They can come in many different forms, they can be observational, analytical, or mathematical.
Observational brainteasers involve spotting anomalies in an image such as finding the odd one out among a sea of similar-looking images. Mathematical brainteasers involve solving a maths puzzle and finding the answer.
Meanwhile, analytical brainteasers such as the one above by GCHQ ask users to solve a riddle. The answer to this riddle could prove whether or not you are fit to be a spy with the British secret service.
Over the years, GCHQ has used a number of methods to ascertain whether or not members of the British public could play a role in protecting the UK. This brainteaser is one of those tests.
In the latest offering from GCHQ, hidden within the image above are 13 elements which represent letters of the alphabet, which the puzzle solver needs to assemble to reveal a hidden message.
Speaking about the role they play, director of GCHQ Anne Keast-Butler said: “The world is getting more complex and we’re only ever going to stay ahead of those threats by bringing together the right mix of minds that lets us tackle the challenges ahead.
“For us, that means bringing in people with different backgrounds, different experiences, different insights, different knowledge, and creating a team where all of us can play our part. For us, it’s clear that that diversity is mission-critical.
“So we’re on a journey to make sure that we reach out and connect to people who’ve never thought of working with us. And today we’re launching on LinkedIn as a way of starting to showcase a little bit more of the work that we do and some of the amazing people who work at GCHQ.”
The brainteaser hasn’t been put together by GCHQ on its own, but designed in collaboration with Manchester-based artist Justin Eagleton. Mr Eagleton said that this brainteaser would be enjoyed by those who “process information differently and possess strong lateral-thinking skills”.
The new puzzle also comes at the same time GCHQ launches its own LinkedIn page as part of increasing its presence online and “recruit a mix of minds to tackle the toughest challenges facing the UK”.
The answers to the brainteaser will be revealed by GCHQ on Thursday.
