Archive

Here you can find links to puzzles in previous editions of the Alan Turing Cryptography Competition. Not all previous editions are currently available, but we we aim to make more available in due course.

2025

Visit the 2025 competition.

The fourteenth edition of the competition

2024

Visit the 2024 competition.

The thirteenth edition of the competition.

2023

Visit the 2023 competition.

This was the twelfth edition of the competition.

2022

Visit the 2022 competition.

This was the eleventh edition of the competition.

2021: The Tale of the Logical Lockdown

Visit the 2021 competition.

This was the tenth edition of the competition.

2020: The Tale of the Bouncing Bombe

Visit the 2020 competition.

This was the ninth edition of the competition.

2019: The Tale of the Data Deception

Visit the 2019 competition.

This was the eighth edition of the competition. Who, or what, is behind the series of accidents that incapacitates three top data scientists at the social media company TimeSucker? What role is played by the data-processing supercomputer Cid? Mike and Ellie face a race against time to solve the codes!

2018: The Tale of the Morphogenesis Mystery

Visit the 2018 competition.

This was the seventh edition of the competition. Who, or what, is behind the death of Professor Garamond - head of a mathematical research institute located in the middle of a foggy moor? Are the rumours of a ghostly hound true? What role do the mysterious Maliphant sisters play? Mike and Ellie must race against time to solve a series of cryptic codes.

The three best teams in the competition were:

1. Pythag-R-Us - Stockport Grammar
2. Sprockets - University College School
3. MadSquirrels - Highcliffe, Christchurch

2017: The Tale of the Mediæval Manuscript

Visit the 2017 competition.

This was the sixth edition of the competition. Mike and Ellie get caught up in a race against time to locate the 'Mediaeval Manuscript', a document hidden somewhere within the depths of the John Rylands Library that points towards a centuries-old piece of mathematical knowledge. Should they trust the mysterious monk-like figure of Brother Aldred as they race against against time?

The three best teams in the competition were:

1. GallifreyGirls (Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham)
2. Crypto-Knights (Kenilworth School, Kenilworth)
3. TheGame (The Manchester Grammar School, Manchester).

2016: The Tale of the Artificial Adventure

Visit the 2016 competition.

This was the fifth edition of the competition. Ellie gets her dream work-experience opportunity at EKA-labs, an organisation that specialises in artificial intelligence. But Professors Kenneth Parry and Alice Loebner - two of the senior scientists - seem to be determined to thwart the development of Geshtu, EKA-labs' supercomputer designed to pass the Turing Test. All is not as it seems, however, and Mike and Ellie must race against time and get deep inside the workings of Geshtu to unmask the conspiracy.

The three best teams in the competition were:

1. DOE (King Edwards VI Grammar School, Chelmsford)
2. BWBoffins (Bridgewater High School, Warrington)
3. Abacus (Manchester High School for Girls).

2015: The Tale of the Carbon Conundrum

Visit the 2015 competition.

This was the fourth edition of the competition. The multinational corporation 'MaliOpus', headed by crooked businessman Lord Porterfield, is out to steal The University of Manchester's research into graphene, a special form of carbon with remarkable properties. Hindered by Darcie and Donna, two super-smart twins, and battling the tragedy of the shooting of their friend Barquith, Mike and Ellie face their most dangerous adventure yet as they try to unravel the Carbon Conundrum!

The three best teams in the competition were:

1. BWBoffins (Bridgewater High School, Warrington)
2. Abstract (Belper School, Derbyshire)
3. Quomodo (Belper School, Derbyshire).

2014: The Tale of the Lovell Legacy

Visit the 2014 competition.

This was the third edition of the competition. A top secret section of MI5 is desperately trying to find the 'Lovell Legacy', a machine powerful enough to break any encryption. Allegedly designed by Alan Turing and built at Jodrell Bank under Bernard Lovell, it was buried there and never recovered. Together with their old friend Barquith Mike and Ellie end up in some hairy situations as Lungrem (or is it Mel Gurn?) wants to avoid them interfering at all costs...

The three best teams in the competition were:

1. Hedgehog (Headington School, Oxford)
2. BWBoffins (Bridgewater High School, Warrington)
3. GJMC (St Ninians High School, Glasgow).

2013: The Tale of the Egyptian Enigma

Visit the 2013 competition.

This was the second edition of the competition. In the early 20th century, an ancient statue is stolen by a petty criminal with an interest in codes; it's never recovered. Guided, unknowingly, by a former student of Alan Turing, Mike and Ellie seek to find the missing statue. A mysterious machine called the 'Egyptian Enigma' plays a crucial role in a quest that leads them even to visit the Alan Turing Building...

The three best teams in the competition were:

1. G15 (Calday Grange Grammar School, Wirral)
2. Room40 (Torquay Boys' Grammar School, Torquay)
3. SmileyFaces:) (Sir William Borlase Grammar School, Marlow).

2012: Search for the Turing Treasure

Visit the 2012 competition.

This was the first edition of the competition. Mike and Ellie got entangled in a search for the illustrious 'Turing Treasure' which led them on a tour along several famous places in Manchester, having to solve cryptographic puzzles on their way. Also, they were not the only ones on the hunt for this treasure...

The three best teams in the competition were:

1. zyyxw-vuztvx (Abbey Grange C of E Academy, Leeds)
2. KnightsRadiant (St Margarets CoE Academy, Liverpool)
3. thepeoplewhodecipherstuff (The King's School, Macclesfield).