Tech Advent

With an immersive storyline that runs throughout the event, the competition involves solving digital puzzles from different domains such as web, stenography, cryptography, data structures, VR/AR, and more. The entire event takes place digitally on computers, with judging and scoring automated. Teams engage with unique and challenging puzzles presented on a real-time map, where each node represents a puzzle. Teams can track the current location of each participating team on the map.

Event Details:

Round 1:

1. Participants have to solve 12 puzzles of 40 points each.
2. Hints will be provided for each puzzle without points deduction.
3. Round 1 has a time frame of 2 hours 30 minutes, teams can attempt Round 1 only once at any time in the given time frame.
4. Each team has 45 mins to complete all the puzzles.
5. Usage of Google Search & other AI tools are allowed.
6. Communication of any form (verbal/digital) with an external person other than your team member is not allowed.
7. Around 15-20 teams will be selected for round 2 on the basis of maximum points and time (to the last solved puzzle) as the tiebreaker.

Round 2:

1. Have puzzles from varying difficulty levels - Easy (30), Medium (50), Hard (60) and Final Hard (100).
2. There will be 15 Easy, 10 Medium, 5 Hard and 1 Final Hard question (total 31 puzzles).
3. Speedrun encounter: If two teams cross their paths while moving from one puzzle to another puzzle, they will encounter a mini game. The winning team gains +15 points, while the losing team incurs a penalty of -15 points.
4. There will be a fixed amount of cooldown time after a speedrun encounter, during which the participants will not have any encounters.
5. Easy modes will be no-fight regions, which means when solving easy region puzzles even if the teams meet there won't be speedrun encounter.
6. A "final hard" puzzle includes a time-based bonus, where reaching within specific time frames (e.g., 30 mins, 1 hour, 1 hour 30 mins) grants additional points (e.g., +40, +20, +10).
7. Hints will be provided for each puzzle with -15 deduction in points.
8. Round 2 is conducted for 2 hours.
9. If the team reaches late, there won’t be any extension in timings, Round 2 will end exactly after 2 hours of start time.
10. Usage of Google Search & other AI tools are allowed.
11. Communication of any form (verbal/digital) with an external person other than your team member is not allowed.
12. Teams will be selected as winners and runners-up on the basis of maximum points and time (to the last solved puzzle) as the tiebreaker.

Rules and Regulations:

1. A team must consist of 2 members.
2. All the participants must be from the same college.
3. Participants must present a physical college ID card and PID to participate in the event.
4. The decisions of the judges and organisers will be final.

Judging Criteria:

1. Round 1

1. Scores earned by solving puzzles are considered as Judging criteria.
2. In case of a tie, the tiebreaker considers the time from signing in to solving the last puzzle.
3. Scores are automatically calculated by the system and top teams with highest points move forward.

2. Round 2

1. Points are a combination of puzzle-solving, speedrun encounters and hints.
2. In case of a tie, the tiebreaker considers the time of the last puzzle which they have solved.
3. Scores are automatically calculated by the system and the top 2 teams with the highest scores at the end of 2 hours will emerge as winners & runners-up.