College Puzzle Challenge Rules

College Puzzle Challenge is an annual puzzle-solving contest sponsored by Microsoft recruiting. Teams from schools across North America compete by racing to solve puzzles with prizes awarded to the fastest teams at each school. The contest is organized, developed, and run by alumni from the schools volunteering to create a great event.

This event is supposed to be fun. We want you to have fun. If at any point in the day you're not having fun, take a break, and let the organizers know. Don't let the competition prevent you from enjoying the puzzles.

This year, College Puzzle Challenge will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2009 beginning at Noon (12:00pm) EST or 9:00am PST. The event runs for 12 hours continuously and starts at all locations at the same time. Participants should arrive 45 minutes early to allow enough time to check-in.

1. Eligibility
   This contest is open to (1) undergraduate and graduate students, and (2) recent alumni who have graduated less than one year before the date of the event. Participants must be students or graduates of participating schools. Individuals who are full-time employees of Microsoft at the time of the event are not eligible to participate.
   
   Students who are not eligible because they do not attend a participating school may be allowed to participate if (1) they travel to a participating school for the event, (2) team openings at that school have not been filled, and (3) mail from cpc@microsoft.com permits the “visiting” team to participate at that school.
   
   Participants should bring their college–issued student identification as proof of eligibility. Computer science, computer engineering, and mathematics students are especially encouraged to take part in the event, but students from all disciplines may participate.
2. Participating Schools
   This year, eligible candidates from the following schools are invited to participate.
   
   

   School	Location of Event
   Boston University	Microsoft, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
   Brown University	Microsoft, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
   California Institute of Technology	UCLA Campus, Engr IV 67-124
   Carnegie Mellon University	Rashid Auditorium (4401) Gates & Hillman Centers
   Columbia	Earl Hall
   Cornell	Olin 155
   Georgia Institute of Technology	College of Computing (CCB 17)
   Harvard	Microsoft, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
   Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Grier 34-401
   Northeastern University	Microsoft, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
   Olin College	Microsoft, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
   Princeton	Frist Campus Center Rm. 302
   Rochester Institute of Technology	77-A190
   Stanford	Packard 101
   Texas A&M	HRBB 124
   University of California at Berkeley	Wozniak Lounge, Soda Hall
   University of California at Los Angeles	UCLA Campus, Engr IV 67-124
   University of Florida	McCarty B
   University of Illinois (UC)	Siebel Center, Room 2405
   University of Maryland	CSIC Building
   University of Michigan	Chrysler 133
   University of Southern California	UCLA Campus, Engr IV 67-124
   University of Texas	WEL 2.224
   University of Toronto	Bahen Center, Room 1170
   University of Washington	Microsoft, Building 111, 15011 NE 36t Street, Redmond, WA 98052
   University of Waterloo	MC 2017

3. Teams
   Teams must be comprised of four (4) eligible participants. Teams must register on this website once registration is available. On the day of the event, teams must be checked in by College Puzzle Challenge organizers at their school.
   
   Each school has capacity for a specific number of teams. If a team signs up after the school has reached capacity, the team will be “waitlisted.” Before the event starts, a waitlisted team may become registered if more capacity is added to the school. Otherwise, waitlisted teams are encouraged to show up on the day of the event in case another team does not show up.
   
   Teams that have fewer than four people are “incomplete teams.” These teams are not eligible to compete until it has been filled with four contestants.
4. Equipment
   Teams will need at least one computer with access to the internet and email. Participants may bring their own laptops or use machines available in their work area. Teams must be able to access this web site, and to ensure compatibility we recommend using Microsoft Internet Explorer 8, Mozilla Firefox 3.5, or Apple Safari 4.0. If we need to issue any puzzle corrections, they will be in PDF format, so Adobe Reader or a compatible PDF reader is recommended as well. The computer must be equipped to run Microsoft Silverlight 3.
   
   Although not required, printing pages may be helpful. Teams should arrange for access to a printer prior to the event.
   
   Participants are encouraged to bring their own office supplies, including scissors, tape, and transparencies or tracing paper. Participants may also use any resources and references, printed or online. Participants are not allowed to converse with other teams or persons on solving puzzles, nor interfere with the progress of others. Teams found collaborating or being disruptive will be disqualified.
5. Contest Period
   The contest begins on Saturday November 14, 2009 at 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) and continues for a total duration of 12 hours. All participants from each team must be present for check-in at the designated contest location 45 minutes before the start time in order to be eligible to compete.
   
   After the event, there will be a wrap up session where College Puzzle Challenge organizers will present puzzle solution and award prizes. Attendance at this portion is optional, though winners must be present to claim their awards. With the exception of the Grand Prize, which will be mailed to the winning team, any prizes not claimed onsite will be forfeited.
6. Contest Location
   Each of the participating universities will have a designated location on campus for contest activities including organization and pre-event briefing. Teams will be provided with a suitable area in which to work on the puzzles, but they are encouraged to work in a private room or other area. Teams working outside of the designated area must remain physically accessible to the on-site College Puzzle Challenge organizers. Details regarding the specific locations at each school will be provided to confirmed teams by email before the event. Participants are generally not limited to staying in one location for the duration of the contest, and may move about or leave to take a break, get food, etc.
7. Format
   Packets of puzzles will be distributed to all teams over the course of the contest as determined by the organizers. Puzzles will be distributed simultaneously across all participating schools. No team will be held up at any time by having completed all of the puzzles provided so far (unless there aren't any more!)
   
   The answer to all puzzles, including the Meta-Puzzle, is a word or short phrase. Teams must submit answers to Puzzle Central, the designated clearinghouse of contest officials, via the "Puzzles" link in the "My Team" section of this website. If an answer is deemed correct by the judges at Puzzle Central, the team is scored as having solved it at the time of submission (Puzzle Completion Time).
   
   Throughout the contest, participants will be able to access a scoreboard via a browser detailing their current rank and progress, and general statistics about the overall positions of all teams. These figures are updated and maintained by Puzzle Central, but may not be precisely up-to-date or accurate.
   
   Teams may not obtain answers to puzzles except by their own collective brainpower. If the legitimacy of any answer is in doubt, Puzzle Central may, at its sole discretion, require full solutions for a puzzle from a team in order for points to be awarded.
   
   None of the puzzles will require participants to do anything illegal, immoral, unsafe, or that would cause campus security to be concerned. If ever in doubt, please ask on-site College Puzzle Challenge organizers.
8. Scoring
   A team's score is determined by the following:

   1. Solving the Meta-Puzzle. The Meta-Puzzle is a puzzle whose solution depends on the completion of other puzzles. All teams which correctly solve the Meta-Puzzle are ranked, in order of Completion Time, above those which have not solved the Meta-Puzzle.
   2. Accumulation of points, for those that have not solved the Meta-Puzzle. 10 points are awarded for every puzzle solved. Teams who have not solved the Meta-Puzzle are ranked according to their point total.
9. Disqualification
   Interfering with the ability for other teams to solve puzzles will disqualify a team from participation. The decision for disqualification will be made by Puzzle Central. All decisions by Puzzle Central are final.
10. Determination of Winners
    There will be one Grand Prize Winner, awarded to the highest ranked team according to the above scoring rules. In addition, prizes will be awarded to teams at each participating location. In addition to first, second, and third place prizes, other honorable mention categories are under competition.
11. Prizes
    Each of the four members of the Grand Prize winning teams will receive a grand prize, courtesy of Microsoft. Prizes for other categories (including first, second, and third place at each school) will consist of a selection of software and depends on availability at each location.
     

    Prize	Description	USD Market Value
    Grand Prize	Xbox 360 Elite and Zune HD	$589.98
    First Place at each location Second Place at each location Third Place at each location Honorable Mention	One of the following: Windows 7 Ultimate Halo 3 Halo ODST Fable 2 Forza 3 Limited Edition Gears of War 2 Mass Effect Project Gotham Racing 4 Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Expression Studio 3 Office Ultimate 2007	$319.99 $39.99 $59.99 $29.99 $79.99 $39.99 $19.99 $19.99 $19.99 $485.19 $545.00

    
    If you are selected as a winner:

    1. You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services;
    2. You may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we will award it to the next-highest scoring winner;
    3. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner.
12. Sponsor
    The Sponsor of this contest is Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052.
13. Additional Terms & Conditions
    Entrants agree to abide by these rules and the decisions of organizers and judges, which are final and binding. College Puzzle Challenge organizers reserve the right to amend the rules at any time.
    
    By participating, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Microsoft, and its subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, representatives, successors, assigns and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this contest or any prize won.
    
    If cheating, a virus, bug, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Contest, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Prize Draw. This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Contest, we reserve the right to select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Contest. If you attempt to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Contest by hacking or by cheating or committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may ban you from participating in any of our future Contests, so please play fairly.