Chess aptitude and code-breaking

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  • Chess aptitude and code-breaking

    Letter in The Times of London today.

    Chess key to codes

    December 6 2013

    Talented individuals who could be useful to Bletchley Park were often good with both cryptic crosswords and the art of chess

    Sir, An aptitude for solving cryptic crosswords was not the only indication of possible skills as a code-breaker. Chess proved to be at least as accurate in helping to select talented individuals who worked at Bletchley Park during the Second World War.
    When war broke out in 1939 the 8th Chess Olympiad was in progress in Buenos Aires. Of the five members of the English team competing, three worked at Bletchley Park upon their return from the Olympiad: Hugh Alexander, Harry Golombek (former chess columnist of The Times), and Stuart (later Sir Stuart) Milner-Barry.

    Dr David Levy

    London NW3

  • #2
    Re: Chess aptitude and code-breaking

    Three amusing comments by Times readers on Dr. David Levy’s letter about code-breakers at Bletchley:

    A.A.S. - Interestingly, a large number of the Bletchley Park decoders, probably the majority, were neither chess masters nor crossword buffs.

    Mrs. K. - There were not enough chess masters to go round - the top ones were all there! Probably the same applies to crosswords.

    N.B.B. - I know many complained of draughts in the huts at Bletchley!

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