AND HERE’S THE 1942 CROSSWORD THEY HAD TO SOLVE IN 12 MINUTES
THE story of using people with a talent for crosswords as codebreakers begins in 1941.
Back then, as the war in North Africa was unfolding, letter writers to the Daily telegraph seemed concerned not so much with military gains as with the quality of the daily crossword. Among the readers’ letters were complaints that it had simply become too easy.
these caught the attention of W. A. J. Gavin of the Eccentric Club, a Mayfair dining society which catered for a membership of original thinkers. And Gavin thought it would be amusing to put up a prize for a special challenge.
So he contacted telegraph editor Arthur Watson, who was taken with Gavin’s idea of offering a £100 prize for anyone who could solve the daily cryptic crossword in under 12 minutes.
A challenge was issued to telegraph readers. those who accepted were invited to the newsroom; and in January 1942, five people succeeded in filling in the puzzle in the allotted time. though the prize money was a substantial sum, a greater prize lay behind it. Because also there were figures from a shadowy sub-department of MI6.
one of the winners, Stanley Sedgewick, recalled what happened next: ‘I received a letter marked “confidential” inviting me . . . to make an appointment to see Colonel Nicholls of the General Staff who would “like to see you on a matter of national importance”.’
Mr Sedgewick duly went along to Whitehall, signed the official Secrets Act, and discovered that he’d just been recruited to the Bletchley Park operation. the other four winners were coaxed in a similar fashion.
Do you think you could manage to complete the famous crossword printed in the Daily telegraph on January 13, 1942? then why not have a go below? If you finish it within 12 minutes, congratulations! Sixty-five years ago, you would have been singled out by the War office as one of the codebreaking elite.
ACROSS
1. A stage company (6) 4. The direct route preferred by the Roundheads (5, 3) 9. One of the ever-greens (6) 10. Scented (8) 12. Course with an apt finish (5) 13. Much that could be got from a timber merchant (5, 4) 15. We have nothing and are in debt (3) 16. Pretend (5) 17. Is this town ready for a flood? (6) 22. The little fellow has some beer; it makes me lose colour, I say (6) 24. Fashion of a famous French family (5) 27. Tree (3) 28. One might of course use this tool to core an apple (6, 3) 31. Once used for unofficial currency (5) 32. Those well brought up help these over stiles (4, 4) 33. A sport in a hurry (6) 34. Is the workshop that turns out this part of a motor a hush-hush affair? (8) 35. An illumination functioning (6)
DOWN
1. Official instruction not to forget the servants (8) 2. Said to be a remedy for a burn (5, 3) 3. Kind of alias (9) 5. A disagreeable company (5) 6. Debtors may have to this money for their debts unless of course their creditors do it to the debts (5) 7. Boat that should suit anyone (6) 8. Gear (6) 11. Business with the end in sight (6) 14. The right sort of woman to start a dame school (3) 18. ‘The war’ (anag.) (6) 19. When hammering take care to hit this (5, 4) 20. Making sound as a bell (8) 21. Half a fortnight of old (8) 23. Bird, dish or coin (3) 25. This sign of the Zodiac has no connection with the Fishes (6) 26. A preservative of teeth (6) 29. Famous sculptor (5) 30. This part of the locomotive engine would sound familiar to the golfer (5)