Harry
@cipher-challenge.bsky.social
Join Harry at the National Cipher Challenge, which invites school-aged participants to put their code-breaking skills to the test every Autumn. Created by the School of Mathematical Sciences @UniSouthampton.
At the moment the only order is by score and you can't conclude anything within the same score (=1st etc). For the very final overall leaderboard we will separate out the special few awarded prizes at the top.
November 15, 2025 at 10:29 PM
At the moment the only order is by score and you can't conclude anything within the same score (=1st etc). For the very final overall leaderboard we will separate out the special few awarded prizes at the top.
That would be great! Not sure we can do it at the moment, but will ask the developers!
November 11, 2025 at 10:16 PM
That would be great! Not sure we can do it at the moment, but will ask the developers!
Excellent! Hope you all have fun!
October 18, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Excellent! Hope you all have fun!
Love it! Would also love it if any musical cipher challenge aficionados out there feel like adding to our collection of themes!
September 30, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Love it! Would also love it if any musical cipher challenge aficionados out there feel like adding to our collection of themes!
Tom, this looks great! Congratulations!
September 12, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Tom, this looks great! Congratulations!
Yes! Should arrive in schools for around 8th Sept!
September 2, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Yes! Should arrive in schools for around 8th Sept!
Thank you! We will soft launch around 18th Sept for registration, with all the usual resources available then. Competition starts with the usual practice rounds from 9th Oct.
August 26, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Thank you! We will soft launch around 18th Sept for registration, with all the usual resources available then. Competition starts with the usual practice rounds from 9th Oct.
Yes it is! Posters are stacked ready to go out, and the website is being updated. We really hope you like it!
August 26, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Yes it is! Posters are stacked ready to go out, and the website is being updated. We really hope you like it!
It's true that you sometimes need to generalise a conjecture in order to prove it, but as a general principle I think "generalise then prove" (rather than "prove then generalise") is what Sir Humphrey might call "brave".
January 14, 2025 at 2:35 PM
It's true that you sometimes need to generalise a conjecture in order to prove it, but as a general principle I think "generalise then prove" (rather than "prove then generalise") is what Sir Humphrey might call "brave".
Great! Will be very pleased to see you back!
January 9, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Great! Will be very pleased to see you back!
Sorry I didn't pick up on this before, it's a really important issue-also why time bands on the challenges are broad. Except the very last challenge any correct entry before 11pm on Friday gets maximum marks, so even if they don't meet til lunchtime Friday they still have every chance of success.
January 9, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Sorry I didn't pick up on this before, it's a really important issue-also why time bands on the challenges are broad. Except the very last challenge any correct entry before 11pm on Friday gets maximum marks, so even if they don't meet til lunchtime Friday they still have every chance of success.