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Frequently asked questions
If it's not here, contact reaches the production team directly.
Getting started
Do I need to register before every challenge?+
Just once per season. Registration stays open mid-season — you can join late, you'll just have fewer challenges to bank points on before the qualification cutoff.
Is there a cost to enter?+
No. Building and submitting is free. Partner tools used during a challenge may have their own free tiers, which are noted in the challenge brief.
What do I actually need to bring?+
A working environment for whatever you plan to build with, and the ability to publish a demo link, a repository, and a short video inside the 30-minute window.
Building & judging
Can I use code I wrote before the challenge?+
Only if you disclose it. The submission form has a dedicated field for pre-existing code, templates, and prior work — undisclosed use found later carries a points penalty.
What counts as "load-bearing" tool use on a required-tool challenge?+
The sponsor's tool has to do real work in your submission, not appear as an unused import or a single decorative call. Judges are briefed on this specifically for tool-specific challenges.
How are challenge scores calculated?+
Judge scores are weighted at 80% and community votes at 20%. Sponsor bonuses, participation points, and any penalties or corrections are added on top — see the full breakdown on the Rules page.
Can I dispute a score?+
Yes — contact the production team with the submission and the specific concern. Every dispute gets a written resolution, and upheld corrections are recorded publicly in the audit trail.
Teams & the season
How do teams work?+
Camp language: every team is a "cabin" of three. Team challenges require one submission per cabin with commit history showing every member's contribution.
How do I qualify for the championship?+
The top scorers on the season leaderboard after the final qualifying challenge advance. Qualifying spots vary by season and are listed on the season hub.
What happens if I miss a challenge?+
Nothing penalizes you directly — you simply don't earn that day's points. Consistency across the season matters more than a perfect streak.
Judges & partners
How do I become a judge?+
Apply through the judge application. The production team reviews applications for domain expertise and schedules a short onboarding call before assigning a panel.
Do partners see judging scores before they're public?+
No. Partners have no access to scoring, rankings, or judge notes at any point. Sponsor bonuses are fixed in the challenge brief and applied by rule, not by partner discretion.
What's a partner-selected award?+
A prize a partner picks directly from a challenge's public gallery, clearly labelled and completely separate from official judging — it carries no season points.
How is partner-reported data labelled?+
Every number on a partner dashboard is tagged by source: verified, platform-measured, partner-reported, or estimate. Nothing reads as verified unless the platform can actually measure it.