Spy agency publishes puzzle to appoint the next James Bond

(CNN) — Do you dream of becoming the next real-life James Bond?

GCHQ, the UK’s largest intelligence agency, is looking for new candidates and has launched a visual puzzle to test the skills of anyone interested in the role.

“For people who think and see the world differently”, the puzzle was launched as part of a recruitment drive as the agency launched a new LinkedIn profile.

The practicum, created in collaboration with artist Justin Eagleton, is “for people who think and see the world differently and who can bring a fresh approach to problem-solving,” the agency said in a statement Wednesday.

“Puzzles are at the core of our important work,” the statement said. “These skills represent our historical roots in cryptography and encryption, and are critical to our modern mission of keeping the nation secure.”

The 13 letters are clues that convey a message, the agency said.

The puzzle was published on Wednesday. (Credit: GCHQ)

The answer to the puzzle was revealed on GCHQ’s new LinkedIn page.

The agency, now based in the town of Cheltenham, is perhaps best known for its actions during the Second World War, when it moved to Bletchley Park, about 80 kilometers northwest of London.

Among its employees was Alan Turing, who deciphered German coded messages sent using the Enigma cipher machine.

The puzzle is part of a recruitment drive by the agency, which says it offers many different careers, some of which do not require a degree.

Anne Kest-Butler, director of GCHQ, said the agency needed “the right mix of minds” to meet the challenges of a complex world.

“For us, that means bringing together people with different backgrounds, different experiences, different ideas, different knowledge and creating a team where we can all play our part. For us, it’s clear that this diversity is an important mission,” Kest-Butler said.

“So we are on a journey to ensure that we reach and connect with people who might never have thought about working with us. And today we launch LinkedIn as a way to showcase the work we do and some of the incredible people who work at GCHQ.