An American Navy exercise to find the next generation of global codebreakers uncovered an unlikely recruit – a Macclesfield mum in her forties.
Project Architeuthis was a Facebook challenge aimed at uncovering young, intelligent, problem-solving men and women for a possible career in the word’s largest naval superpower.
It challenged people to help track down a fictional enemy by completing an increasingly difficult series of cryptic tests and games.
Among the thousands of players was Jan Riley, a 41-year-old working mum-of-three from Broken Cross – who was named as one of the 10 fastest to finish.
But Jan isn’t packing her bags for the US Navy headquarters at The Pentagon just yet.
She said: “Now that they know I am a working mum with three young children living in Macclesfield, I don’t expect to be headhunted for the naval intelligence service, but I do have a spare half hour at the end of the day after I’ve packed the kids off to bed – if they still want me.”
Jan juggles a busy life working as an English teacher at Stockport College and keeping her husband Dave and children Scarlett, six, Sienna, four, and Sylva, three, in check.
She came across the Project Architeuthis challenge on Facebook.
Jan, of Pexhill Road, said: “I am an ordinary person of reasonable intelligence. I can handle the basics of a computer but I’m not that technical, and I can add up but I’m no mathematician.
“I solved the puzzles using a good old fashioned pen and paper, the internet and, most importantly, enacity.
“It was the hardest thing I have ever done but found it achievable when I broke the puzzles down into manageable chunks. These are skills I hope to encourage in my children and my students.”
Commander Brent Phillips, director of US Navy recruitment, said: “We’re always looking for creative ways to engage with young men and women, especially those who may be interested in the exciting work we do around the world.”
