The Imitation Game

The organisers of the annual Skyscanner-sponsored Alan Turing Cryptography Competition present a one-off competition to coincide with the release of The Imitation Game, a film about Alan Turing's code-breaking work during WWII.

Home The Codes Solutions Winners Rules About Contact

ELIGIBILITY

1. The competition is only open to residents of the United Kingdom, excluding those members of the University of Manchester's School of Mathematics who have been involved in the organisation of this competition, members of their family and employees of Studio Canal. The address you provide with your competition entry may be used to send any prizes so please make sure this is correct.

THE COMPETITION

2. The competition comprises deciphering three codes and identifying a square on a treasure map. The codes will be released on the competition website on or after 12:00pm, 8th October 2014.
3. The deciphered codes are called "plaintexts". The three plaintexts can be used to identify a square on the treasure map. Entrants will be asked to submit via the competition website a specified word (the codeword) from each plaintext and the identified square on the treasure map.
4. An entry will only be deemed valid if it is submitted via the competition website and it is recorded by our server. An acknowledgement email confirming receipt will be sent to the email address supplied by the entrant.
5. An entry will be deemed correct if (ignoring capitalisation) it agrees with our solution.
6. Entrants must supply their (full, real) names, a valid contact email address and a postal address. Entrants' names and contact details will only be used for purposes relating to the competition and, unless an entrant is a prize winner, will not be used for marketing or any other purposes.
7. Only one entry per household will be permitted.
8. The competition closes at 12:00pm on 28th November 2014. Entries received after this will not be counted.
9. We reserve the right to publish clues and hints on the competition website as we see fit.

PRIZES

10. Prize winners will be selected from all correct entries received by the close of the competition using a random number generator. Winners will be contacted by email. Entrants who do not win a prize will not be contacted.
11. There will be two prize draws for correct entries. The first prize draw will allocate signed merchandise from the film. The second prize draw will allocate the remaining prizes which are of approximately equivalent value. Winners from the first prize draw will not be entered into the second prize draw.
12. Prizes in both draws will be allocated to the prize winners at random. DVDs with age restrictions will only be awarded if prize winners can confirm their age.
13. The names of prize winners will be published on the competition website after the prizes have been awarded.
14. If there are no or an insufficient number of correct entries then we reserve the right to distribute the remaining prizes to entrants who, in our opinion, have come closest to finding the solution.
15. The awarding of prizes is at our sole discretion and no correspondence relating to the awarding of prizes or any other matter will be entered into by us.
16. There is no cash alternative to the prizes.
17. Prize winners agree to their name being used in publicity associated with the competition, including on the competition website, in the University of Manchester's promotional material and in Studio Canal's promotional material.
18. If a prize is unclaimed after reasonable efforts have been made to contact the winner, we will be entitled to dispose of the prize as we see fit without any liability to the winner for doing so.

GENERAL

19. We reserve the right to change any aspect of the competition at short notice. Such changes will be announced on the competition website as soon as is practical.
20. By entering the competition, entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
21. The laws of England apply and any disputes will be dealt with in the English courts only.