The Bletchley Park team needed new codebreakers in World War 2. So, in addition to the usual old-boy network of recruitment, they posted a crossword puzzle in the Times, offering a job to anyone who could solve the crossword within twelve minutes. Those who responded to the ad were given an interview consisting of another crossword.
All of which reminds me of nothing so much as the Adventure of the Red-Headed League. Holmes’ next outing: crossword puzzle vigilante!
(Though Holmes probably wouldn’t have liked crossword puzzles–too much irrelevant information.)