Puzzles and challenges | Australian Signals Directorate

We’re looking for people with curious and creative minds who will bring new ideas and skills to our organisation. Decoding hidden messages, cracking codes and revealing secrets is a large part of the work that we do. Test your problem-solving skills with our unique challenges and puzzles designed by ASD staff.

Watch this space as we continue to build new and exciting challenges for all ages.

EASY

Flags of the World Challenge

A secret message has been spelled out using national flags. Can you decipher the message and answer the question contained within it? This an easy challenge designed for year 9 students, and above.

Accept challenge

ASD Code Breaker

Take on the role of a code breaker in this fun interactive game designed for Year 6 students, and above. Decode hidden messages about our history by matching symbols to the correct letters to uncover their meaning.

Play now

Logic Puzzle Challenge

A logical puzzle is a problem that can be solved through deductive reasoning. Can you solve these riddles using your best problem solving skills? There are two logic puzzles to test your abilities, ranging from easy to medium in difficulty, designed for year 9 students and above.

Accept challenge

MEDIUM

Logic Puzzle Challenge

A logical puzzle is a problem that can be solved through deductive reasoning. Can you solve these riddles using your best problem solving skills? There are two logic puzzles to test your abilities, ranging from easy to medium in difficulty, designed for year 9 students and above.

Accept challenge

Grandpré Cipher Challenge

Developed 120 years ago, the Grandpré cipher is not very well known, but easy to use. You and a friend can share short, encrypted messages that are very hard to break without the key. Decipher the message using your best cryptic skills. This medium-difficulty challenge is designed for year 9 students, and above.

Accept challenge

Who's There Challenge

How well do you know coordinate systems? A well-known coordinate system is used for most of this puzzle, but a relatively new one (which doesn’t use numbers) is used to solve the final question. Test your knowledge and skills with this medium-difficulty challenge designed for year 9 students, and above.

Accept challenge

Operation Cyber

You have been asked to protect Australia’s critical infrastructure networks from being compromised. Decode the transmissions, protect the targeted network, and discover the human connections behind the attack. This challenge has a scaling difficulty and is designed for high school students, and above.

Play now

HARD

Cross Number Puzzle

This is a cross number puzzle with a twist: the clue numbers have been shuffled. To solve it, you'll need to decipher the words from a constructed language (conlang) to uncover the correct numbers. This is a hard challenge designed for year 9 students, and above.

Accept challenge

Cryptic Crossword Challenge

Hello cryptanalyst, this is a cryptic crossword with an ASD Cryptography theme. Solve the crossword using your cryptic skills. The completed crossword contains a bonus crypt puzzle for you to solve. This challenge is designed for people who like word games and would be hard for those new to cryptic crosswords.

Accept challenge

ASD Language Challenge Transliterally - Hard

Transliterally - Alien Script Challenge

You are tracking an intergalactic criminal and need to report on and discover the countries they have visited while on Earth. Decipher the alien script to uncover the correct answers. This is a hard challenge designed for Year 9 students, and above.

Accept challenge