Puzzles and challenges

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.

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

ASD Language Challenge Transliterally - Hard
ASD Language Challenge Transliterally - Hard
ASD Language Challenge Badly Translated E-mail - Medium
ASD Language Challenge Badly Translated E-mail - Medium

The Badly Translated Email Challenge

Your team has been granted access to the email of a man who was apprehended as part of an international crime ring. In this challenge, some words from the email have been mistranslated and you need to uncover the correct translations. This is a medium challenge designed for Year 9 students, and above.

Accept challenge

Slang-uage Challenge

After studying a language with outdated textbooks, you realise after visiting the country that you don’t understand any of the modern slang used. Decipher the correct meaning behind the slang words used in these sentences. This is a hard challenge designed for Year 9 students, and above.

Accept challenge

ASD Language Challenge Slang-uage - Hard
ASD Language Challenge Slang-uage - Hard
ASD Language Challenge Korean Braille - Medium
ASD Language Challenge Korean Braille - Medium

Korean Braille Challenge

Braille is a writing system that is utilised globally and like the spoken language there are many different variations and complexities. Reconstruct words from Korean Hangul into Korean Braille to find the correct answers. This is a medium 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

ASD Codebreaker Game - Easy
ASD Codebreaker Game - Easy
Operation Cyber Game - Medium
Operation Cyber Game - Medium

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

Acknowledgement of Country icon

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connections to land, sea and communities. We pay our respects to them, their cultures and their Elders; past, present and emerging. We also recognise Australia's First Peoples' enduring contribution to Australia's national security.

Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra