GCHQ Puzzle Book

[chazzie]

Just received this .....lots of puzzles - and on flicking through there is one called Fish! Has 4 fish tanks with pictures of fish in it!!!

[LAT]

Aaaagh!

I trust you will know how to solve it.

[chazzie]

The fish puzzle forms part of a collection of puzzles with a meta... In the introduction it says "Each year GCHQ staff gather in teams of up to 4, to try and solve all puzzles within two and a half HOURS!!!" Blimey!

[Bunnylump]

I was given this for Christmas. Did anyone else get it too?

[LAT]

That would be a 'no' I guess. I do know a rag doll who I believe was given one for her birthday though.

[chazzie]

I have a spare one ! (if anyone would like it!)

[Bunnylump]

Didn't you like it?

I liked the "starter" puzzles (most of which I could do) but most of the rest of it is a bit of a mystery!

[chazzie]

Was enjoying them....just with Christmas and other puzzles ...haven't looked at it for a while.....and then I was given a copy at Christmas...hence the spare copy.

[Bunnylump]

Aaaahhh, I see. I must admit that mine got put aside after the initial flurry of industry. Although I quite liked the picture puzzles in the middle too.

[LAT]

Having had a glance at Looby's copy, I'm not sure I'm up to it.

[Bunnylump]

For those of you who have this book, they have made a spelling error in the crossword puzzle number 186 (Coldplay V) - 11 down should only have oneL in it. It's a nice puzzle other than that, though!

So there you go, Scurra, it's not just us!

[giraffe]

I had two copies for Christmas too, but I never seem to have time to puzzle these days, so only a couple of the introductory ones have been looked at.

[Bunnylump]

Anyone out there looking at this? I'm just on the competition pages - I have no intention of actually trying to do the competition (anyway, the closing date is 28th Feb!! ) but wondered if anyone might also be looking at it? I was SO proud of myself - solved a sudoku, but then was rather dismayed by the message! I'm currently staring at penguins... (Chazzie, I blame you for this!)

[Bunnylump]

...And now feeling absurdly smug that I have worked out what the penguins were telling me - it was just like David's Barrel of Monkeys puzzle- I'm again utterly perplexed by the result!

[LAT]

Where are the penguins?

[Bunnylump]

On the pages in the middle, with the word COMPETITION in green at the top. There is a sudoku in the middle and penguins all round the edge. There are people to identify on the right hand page which I'm just trying to do now if you fancy having a look?

[Bunnylump]

...And if anyone does look at those faces...I have all of them apart from the man top right with pince nez, a beard and a fur coat, whose initials should be either EZ EP or EQ, the man second on the fourth row whose initials should be OZ, OP or OQ. If anyone could help with those I would be very grateful!

[LAT]

Oh I'm useless at identifying people. I think I know two of them, possibly three. And not any of your gaps!

Not much help I'm afraid.

[Bunnylump]

Just found the page online...http://www.stephenpeek.co.uk/gchq_compe ... _large.jpg

EDIT So, this is odd. In the book, it very definitely says that the competition closes on 28th Feb 2017. Yet I scroll down, and the answers are there.

[Scurra]

They are Emile Zola and Oliver Phelps.

I can't scroll down on that page? I just get the image.