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Solid solution hardening in high entropy alloys was studied for the Cantor alloy using diffusion couples and nanoindentation. We study a continuous variation of the alloying content and directly correlate the nanoindentation hardness to the local composition up to the phase boundary. The composition dependent hardness is analysed using the Labusch model and the more recent Varvenne model. The Labusch model has been fitted to experimental data and confirms Cr as the most potent strengthening element. For comparison of the experimental hardness and the predicted yield strength of the Varvenne model, a concentration-dependent strain-hardening factor is introduced to account for strain hardening during indentation, which leads to a very good agreement between experiment and model. A study of the input parameters of the Varvenne model, performed by atomistic computer simulations, shows no significant effect of fluctuations in the atomic size misfit volumes or in the local shear modulus to the computed yield strength.