Secret Agent Brainteasers: More Than 100 Codebreaking Puzzles Inspired by Britain's Espionage Masterminds

by Sinclair McKay

Have you daydreamed of being approached to be a secret agent? Imagined yourself being propelled into the dangerous and elegant world of spies?
Blending extraordinary and illuminating historical tales of the British Secret Intelligence Service from over the years with a wide range of mind-twisting puzzles, Secret Agent Brainteasers will test your mental agility to Do YOU have what it takes to be a spy?
Long gone are the days when the tap on the shoulder was largely a result of social connections. Now the secret intelligence services have cast their nets wider, and it's your chance to join the ranks. Whether you have a linguistic flair, an instinct for technology, or good old common sense, pit your wits against some of the greatest minds of our time with ingenious brainteasers including secret languages, sabotage-themed brain bogglers, and hidden codes.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

Published May 7, 2019

About the author

Sinclair McKay writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph and The Secret Listeners and has written books about James Bond and Hammer horror for Aurum. His next book, about the wartime “Y” Service during World War II, is due to be published by Aurum in 2012. He lives in London.
-Source

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERDICT: A fun way to exercise your little gray cells!

My full review is here: https://wordsandpeace.com/2019/12/20/...

[Vidya Tiru · Rating 4 out of 5]

So you have always dreamed of being a spy, have you? Then this is the book for you! But if you have not, then this is still the book for you if you love challenging your brain 🙂

This book is an interesting combination of historical facts of the secret service and tons of brainteasers ranging from the hard to the harder. Each chapter starts off with truly interesting stories of the British Secret Service agencies from Victorian times to now, that are linked in one way or another to the puzzles that follow.

The puzzles tease your brain in myriads of ways – codes, anagrams, patterns, maps, and more. They challenge and frustrate and inevitably are exhilarating too!

Do you want to know the relation between butterflies and the founder of Scouting, and what are those two doing in a book about espionage? Read the book to find out this and so many more almost unbelievable but true tales of daring and secret agents; and to challenge yourself with puzzles and brainteasers that will put you in league with 007!

In Summary
This is a book for that secret agent in each one of us; so go ahead and enjoy it.

Note one: having paper and a pencil (as well as an eraser) handy is the best way to proceed with this book 🙂

Note two: I am still working my way through the puzzles here, just a dent so far.. but loved the histories lessons and loving the challenge

Rating: 4/5

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital review copy of this book- Secret Agent Brainteasers. This is my honest review of the book.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Agent Brainteasers contains over 100 puzzles in a variety of types from logic and wordplay to algebra and geometry. The chapter introductions link the puzzles to skills needed by secret agents as illustrated with true stories from the British intelligence community from Victorian times through today.

I enjoyed the chapter introductions and could see the relevance of the puzzles to actual secret agent skills. The puzzles were great fun or deeply frustrating depending on their difficulty.

There are a couple of warnings. Since many puzzle answers involve words, the use of British spelling (i.e., armour vs. armor) may confuse non-Britons. Some of the puzzles involve a map or board and so are difficult to play on a kindle or tablet. An actual physical book (remember those?) will allow for working out the answers with a pencil (and probably an eraser) more easily.

Overall, Secret Agent Brainteasers will provide many of hours of fun where you can avoid social media and the intrusive light of mobile devices. 4 stars!

Thanks to Quercus and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Minnesinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very clever and well written, but it is clearly intended for British audiences. I think it would seem too foreign to the average American, though there are many Anglophiles here—including myself.
I used to think that I knew something about codes and ciphers, but most of the brain teasers here stumped even me, I am loathe to admit.
Therefore I doubt my public library would purchase it, at least in the current economic climate. I would still recommend it, but only for those with an above-average IQ and who relish puzzles.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love puzzles and history, you will enjoy challenging yourself with the puzzles contained in this book. At the same time, you'll learn the history of the British Secret Service, tidbits of information that trigger the imagination and encourage you to keep reading. Full of a variety of puzzles, trivia challenges, crosswords, and code-breaking.

Thank you to Net Galley and Quercus for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[David Lindley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought for me by my daughter, this book is a blend of espionage history and practical tests. Most tests are achievable, so retains one’s interest to progress.
An enjoyable read, and puzzle companion as we clambered out of the dreadful covid19 lockdown.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty interesting book. I liked how much history was included. Most of the puzzles felt impossible—but perhaps that simply means I wouldn’t make a good spy or double agent.

Content: bars and pubs, alcohol, sexual immorality

[Craig Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a relatively short book filled with logic puzzles worded as directions for spies. It includes crossword puzzles, diagram puzzles, and trivia. The puzzles in this electonic book are fun if you are the type of person who does the New York Times crossword puzzle with an ink pen, otherwise it is best read in book format.

[Tiffany Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was fun and entertaining. I loved reading about spy history and the brainteasers where a fun challenge. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.