Spy Q Test
Book: Computer Spy Games
Author: Jenny Tyler and Chris Oxlade
Translator: Marcus Medina
Story
As a new recruit at Spy School, you’ve a lot of Spy Q tests to pass if you are to move up through the Grades. You start as lowest of the low — a Grade 5 Trainee Spy. Your goal is to reach the top and become a Grade 1 VIS (Very Important Spy) and even achieve the ultimate accolade: the Super Spy Award.
In each Spy Q Test, you are given ten positions on your computer screen. You are then given numbers between 1 and 100. Your aim is to put these numbers in order into the ten positions, with the lowest in position 1 and the highest in 10.
You are allowed to discard some numbers if they won’t fit by pressing D. The number of numbers you are allowed to discard is the same as the number of your grade.
Pseudocode
SET grade = 5 (Trainee Spy)LOOP SET discards_used = 0, positions = 10 empty slots FOR each of 10 numbers to place GENERATE random number 1-99 ASK player for a position (1-10) or D to discard IF discard requested AND discards remaining THEN use a discard, get a new number ELSE VALIDATE position is empty and keeps ascending order IF invalid THEN end test as failure PLACE number in chosen position END FOR IF all 10 placed correctly THEN grade decreases by 1 IF grade reaches 0 THEN announce Super Spy Award, end ELSE announce promotion to new grade ELSE announce failure, grade stays the same ASK "TRY AGAIN?"END LOOPFlowchart
flowchart TD
Start --> Init[Set grade to 5]
Init --> NewTest[Reset discards used and 10 empty positions]
NewTest --> Gen[Generate random number 1-99]
Gen --> AskPos[Ask for position or D to discard]
AskPos --> IsD{Discard requested?}
IsD -->|Yes, allowed| UseDiscard[Use a discard]
UseDiscard --> Gen
IsD -->|No| Validate{Position empty and order OK?}
Validate -->|No| Fail["Print: WRONG! NOT GOOD ENOUGH"]
Validate -->|Yes| Place[Place number]
Place --> More{All 10 placed?}
More -->|No| Gen
More -->|Yes| Promote{Grade reached 0?}
Promote -->|Yes| Super["Print: TERRIFIC - SUPER SPY"]
Promote -->|No| WellDone[Announce promotion]
Fail --> Again{Try again?}
Super --> End[End]
WellDone --> Again
Again -->|Yes| NewTest
Again -->|No| End
Code
Pages
ZX-81 BASIC
10 DIM N(10):DIM N$(5)20 CLS30 GOSUB 51040 LET W$=""50 LET D=560 LET G=070 FOR I=1 TO 10:LET N(I)=0:NEXT I80 LET I=190 GOSUB 430100 LET M=INT(RND(1)*99+1)110 PRINT:PRINT "WHERE WILL YOU PUT ";M120 PRINT:INPUT P$130 IF P$="D" AND G<D THEN LET G=G+1:GOTO 90140 IF P$="D" THEN PRINT "YOU CAN'T!":GOTO 120150 LET P=VAL(P$)160 IF P<1 OR P>10 THEN GOTO 120170 IF N(P)>0 THEN PRINT "ALREADY FULL":GOTO 120180 LET N(P)=M190 LET F=0200 FOR L=P TO 10210 IF N(L)<M AND N(L)<>0 THEN LET F=1220 NEXT L230 FOR L=1 TO P240 IF N(L)>M AND N(L)<>0 THEN LET F=1250 NEXT L260 IF F=1 THEN GOTO 360270 LET I=I+1:IF I<11 THEN GOTO 90280 LET D=D-1:IF D=0 THEN GOTO 330290 PRINT "WELL DONE, GO TO GRADE ";D300 PRINT:PRINT "YOU ARE NOW A ";N$(D)310 LET W$=""320 GOTO 400330 PRINT "TERRIFIC - YOU HAVE REACHED"340 PRINT "THE GRADE OF SUPER SPY"350 STOP360 PRINT "WRONG! NOT GOOD ENOUGH"370 PRINT:PRINT "YOU ARE STILL A ";380 PRINT N$(D)390 LET W$="STILL"400 PRINT:PRINT "DO YOU WANT TO TRY AGAIN? (Y/N)"410 INPUT A$:IF A$="Y" THEN GOTO 60420 STOP430 CLS440 PRINT:PRINT "YOU ARE ";W$;" A ";N$(D)450 PRINT460 FOR J=1 TO 10470 PRINT J;480 IF N(J)>0 THEN PRINT N(J);490 PRINT:NEXT J500 RETURN510 FOR I=1 TO 5:READ N$(I)520 NEXT I530 RETURN540 DATA "VIS","SPY","JUNIOR SPY"550 DATA "SPYING ASSISTANT","TRAINEE SPY"C#
using System;
class SpyQTest{ static string[] grades = { "", "VIS", "SPY", "JUNIOR SPY", "SPYING ASSISTANT", "TRAINEE SPY" }; static Random rnd = new Random();
static void Main() { int grade = 5; string status = "";
while (true) { int[] positions = new int[11]; int discardsUsed = 0; int placed = 0; bool failed = false;
while (placed < 10 && !failed) { ShowBoard(positions, grade, status); int m = rnd.Next(1, 100); Console.WriteLine($"\nWhere will you put {m}?");
while (true) { Console.Write("Position (1-10) or D to discard: "); string input = Console.ReadLine()?.Trim().ToUpper(); if (input == null) return;
if (input == "D") { if (discardsUsed < grade) { discardsUsed++; break; } Console.WriteLine("YOU CAN'T!"); continue; }
if (!int.TryParse(input, out int p) || p < 1 || p > 10) continue; if (positions[p] > 0) { Console.WriteLine("ALREADY FULL"); continue; }
positions[p] = m; bool bad = false; for (int l = p; l <= 10; l++) if (positions[l] != 0 && positions[l] < m) bad = true; for (int l = 1; l <= p; l++) if (positions[l] != 0 && positions[l] > m) bad = true;
if (bad) { failed = true; break; } placed++; break; } }
if (!failed) { grade--; if (grade == 0) { Console.WriteLine("TERRIFIC - YOU HAVE REACHED"); Console.WriteLine("THE GRADE OF SUPER SPY"); return; } Console.WriteLine($"WELL DONE, GO TO GRADE {grade}"); Console.WriteLine($"YOU ARE NOW A {grades[grade]}"); status = ""; } else { Console.WriteLine("WRONG! NOT GOOD ENOUGH"); Console.WriteLine($"YOU ARE STILL A {grades[grade]}"); status = "STILL"; }
Console.Write("\nDo you want to try again? (Y/N): "); string again = Console.ReadLine()?.Trim().ToUpper(); if (again != "Y") return; } }
static void ShowBoard(int[] positions, int grade, string status) { Console.WriteLine($"\nYOU ARE {status} A {grades[grade]}\n"); for (int j = 1; j <= 10; j++) Console.WriteLine(positions[j] > 0 ? $"{j} {positions[j]}" : $"{j}"); }}Python
import random
GRADES = ["", "VIS", "SPY", "JUNIOR SPY", "SPYING ASSISTANT", "TRAINEE SPY"]
def show_board(positions, grade, status): print(f"\nYOU ARE {status} A {GRADES[grade]}\n") for j in range(1, 11): if positions[j] > 0: print(j, positions[j]) else: print(j)
def spy_q_test(): grade = 5 status = ""
while True: positions = [0] * 11 discards_used = 0 placed = 0 failed = False
while placed < 10 and not failed: show_board(positions, grade, status) m = random.randint(1, 99) print(f"\nWhere will you put {m}?")
while True: choice = input("Position (1-10) or D to discard: ").strip().upper()
if choice == "D": if discards_used < grade: discards_used += 1 break print("YOU CAN'T!") continue
if not choice.isdigit(): continue p = int(choice) if p < 1 or p > 10: continue if positions[p] > 0: print("ALREADY FULL") continue
positions[p] = m bad = False for l in range(p, 11): if positions[l] != 0 and positions[l] < m: bad = True for l in range(1, p + 1): if positions[l] != 0 and positions[l] > m: bad = True
if bad: failed = True break placed += 1 break
if not failed: grade -= 1 if grade == 0: print("TERRIFIC - YOU HAVE REACHED") print("THE GRADE OF SUPER SPY") return print(f"WELL DONE, GO TO GRADE {grade}") print(f"YOU ARE NOW A {GRADES[grade]}") status = "" else: print("WRONG! NOT GOOD ENOUGH") print(f"YOU ARE STILL A {GRADES[grade]}") status = "STILL"
again = input("\nDo you want to try again? (Y/N): ").strip().upper() if again != "Y": return
if __name__ == "__main__": spy_q_test()Java
import java.util.Random;import java.util.Scanner;
public class SpyQTest { static String[] grades = { "", "VIS", "SPY", "JUNIOR SPY", "SPYING ASSISTANT", "TRAINEE SPY" }; static Random rnd = new Random(); static Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
public static void main(String[] args) { int grade = 5; String status = "";
while (true) { int[] positions = new int[11]; int discardsUsed = 0; int placed = 0; boolean failed = false;
while (placed < 10 && !failed) { showBoard(positions, grade, status); int m = rnd.nextInt(99) + 1; System.out.println("\nWhere will you put " + m + "?");
while (true) { System.out.print("Position (1-10) or D to discard: "); if (!scanner.hasNextLine()) return; String input = scanner.nextLine().trim().toUpperCase();
if (input.equals("D")) { if (discardsUsed < grade) { discardsUsed++; break; } System.out.println("YOU CAN'T!"); continue; }
int p; try { p = Integer.parseInt(input); } catch (NumberFormatException e) { continue; } if (p < 1 || p > 10) continue; if (positions[p] > 0) { System.out.println("ALREADY FULL"); continue; }
positions[p] = m; boolean bad = false; for (int l = p; l <= 10; l++) if (positions[l] != 0 && positions[l] < m) bad = true; for (int l = 1; l <= p; l++) if (positions[l] != 0 && positions[l] > m) bad = true;
if (bad) { failed = true; break; } placed++; break; } }
if (!failed) { grade--; if (grade == 0) { System.out.println("TERRIFIC - YOU HAVE REACHED"); System.out.println("THE GRADE OF SUPER SPY"); return; } System.out.println("WELL DONE, GO TO GRADE " + grade); System.out.println("YOU ARE NOW A " + grades[grade]); status = ""; } else { System.out.println("WRONG! NOT GOOD ENOUGH"); System.out.println("YOU ARE STILL A " + grades[grade]); status = "STILL"; }
System.out.print("\nDo you want to try again? (Y/N): "); if (!scanner.hasNextLine()) return; String again = scanner.nextLine().trim().toUpperCase(); if (!again.equals("Y")) return; } }
static void showBoard(int[] positions, int grade, String status) { System.out.println("\nYOU ARE " + status + " A " + grades[grade] + "\n"); for (int j = 1; j <= 10; j++) { if (positions[j] > 0) System.out.println(j + " " + positions[j]); else System.out.println(j); } }}Go
package main
import ( "bufio" "fmt" "math/rand" "os" "strconv" "strings" "time")
var grades = []string{"", "VIS", "SPY", "JUNIOR SPY", "SPYING ASSISTANT", "TRAINEE SPY"}
func showBoard(positions [11]int, grade int, status string) { fmt.Printf("\nYOU ARE %s A %s\n\n", status, grades[grade]) for j := 1; j <= 10; j++ { if positions[j] > 0 { fmt.Println(j, positions[j]) } else { fmt.Println(j) } }}
func main() { rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano()) reader := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin) grade := 5 status := ""
for { var positions [11]int discardsUsed := 0 placed := 0 failed := false
for placed < 10 && !failed { showBoard(positions, grade, status) m := rand.Intn(99) + 1 fmt.Printf("\nWhere will you put %d?\n", m)
for { fmt.Print("Position (1-10) or D to discard: ") line, err := reader.ReadString('\n') if err != nil { return } input := strings.ToUpper(strings.TrimSpace(line))
if input == "D" { if discardsUsed < grade { discardsUsed++ break } fmt.Println("YOU CAN'T!") continue }
p, convErr := strconv.Atoi(input) if convErr != nil || p < 1 || p > 10 { continue } if positions[p] > 0 { fmt.Println("ALREADY FULL") continue }
positions[p] = m bad := false for l := p; l <= 10; l++ { if positions[l] != 0 && positions[l] < m { bad = true } } for l := 1; l <= p; l++ { if positions[l] != 0 && positions[l] > m { bad = true } }
if bad { failed = true break } placed++ break } }
if !failed { grade-- if grade == 0 { fmt.Println("TERRIFIC - YOU HAVE REACHED") fmt.Println("THE GRADE OF SUPER SPY") return } fmt.Printf("WELL DONE, GO TO GRADE %d\n", grade) fmt.Printf("YOU ARE NOW A %s\n", grades[grade]) status = "" } else { fmt.Println("WRONG! NOT GOOD ENOUGH") fmt.Printf("YOU ARE STILL A %s\n", grades[grade]) status = "STILL" }
fmt.Print("\nDo you want to try again? (Y/N): ") line, err := reader.ReadString('\n') if err != nil { return } if strings.ToUpper(strings.TrimSpace(line)) != "Y" { return } }}C++
#include <iostream>#include <string>#include <cstdlib>#include <ctime>#include <algorithm>
std::string grades[6] = { "", "VIS", "SPY", "JUNIOR SPY", "SPYING ASSISTANT", "TRAINEE SPY" };
void showBoard(int positions[11], int grade, const std::string& status) { std::cout << "\nYOU ARE " << status << " A " << grades[grade] << "\n" << std::endl; for (int j = 1; j <= 10; j++) { if (positions[j] > 0) std::cout << j << " " << positions[j] << std::endl; else std::cout << j << std::endl; }}
int main() { srand(time(0)); int grade = 5; std::string status = "";
while (true) { int positions[11] = {0}; int discardsUsed = 0; int placed = 0; bool failed = false;
while (placed < 10 && !failed) { showBoard(positions, grade, status); int m = rand() % 99 + 1; std::cout << "\nWhere will you put " << m << "?" << std::endl;
while (true) { std::cout << "Position (1-10) or D to discard: "; std::string input; if (!std::getline(std::cin, input)) return 0; std::transform(input.begin(), input.end(), input.begin(), ::toupper);
if (input == "D") { if (discardsUsed < grade) { discardsUsed++; break; } std::cout << "YOU CAN'T!" << std::endl; continue; }
int p; try { p = std::stoi(input); } catch (...) { continue; } if (p < 1 || p > 10) continue; if (positions[p] > 0) { std::cout << "ALREADY FULL" << std::endl; continue; }
positions[p] = m; bool bad = false; for (int l = p; l <= 10; l++) if (positions[l] != 0 && positions[l] < m) bad = true; for (int l = 1; l <= p; l++) if (positions[l] != 0 && positions[l] > m) bad = true;
if (bad) { failed = true; break; } placed++; break; } }
if (!failed) { grade--; if (grade == 0) { std::cout << "TERRIFIC - YOU HAVE REACHED" << std::endl; std::cout << "THE GRADE OF SUPER SPY" << std::endl; return 0; } std::cout << "WELL DONE, GO TO GRADE " << grade << std::endl; std::cout << "YOU ARE NOW A " << grades[grade] << std::endl; status = ""; } else { std::cout << "WRONG! NOT GOOD ENOUGH" << std::endl; std::cout << "YOU ARE STILL A " << grades[grade] << std::endl; status = "STILL"; }
std::cout << "\nDo you want to try again? (Y/N): "; std::string again; if (!std::getline(std::cin, again)) return 0; std::transform(again.begin(), again.end(), again.begin(), ::toupper); if (again != "Y") return 0; }}Explanation
Numbers between 1 and 99 arrive one at a time, and you must slot each into one of ten positions so the whole row ends up sorted from lowest to highest. Get greedy or careless and a later number won’t fit anywhere without breaking the order — you can discard a limited number of bad draws (equal to your current grade) to survive, but run out of options and the test ends. Pass ten in a row and you’re promoted; reach grade 0 and you’ve earned the Super Spy Award.
Challenges
- More positions: Expand from 10 positions to 15, as the book itself suggests.
- Custom titles: Change the grade names to your own ranks.
- Timer: Add a time limit for each placement decision.
Copyright
These programs are adaptations of the original Usborne Computer Guides published in the 1980s. The books are free to download for personal or educational use from Usborne’s Computer and Coding Books. Programs and adaptations may not be used for commercial purposes.
Return to Computer Spy Games.