We will organize the teams based on the availability, Individual participation will be allowed. First round will be a pen and paper test and each team will be handed out a question paper. This test will have around 20-25 questions based on basic computer concepts. They are required to choose the correct answer and fill in the blanks. The top 6 teams will move on to the next round.

• Teams take on a quiz focused on basic programming concepts.
• Lightning Round: In the final 60 seconds, teams attempt as many rapid-fire questions as possible to boost their score.
• Each team is scored out of 10, and the top 6 teams move forward.

Speed of Submission – Faster submissions take the lead. Sudden Death – A single high-difficulty question decides the outcome. Wildcard Entry – One extra team can rejoin via a mini challenge (e.g., coding puzzle or logic task).

Selected participants are given credits based on their quiz score. The participants will be shown 10 programming questions, among which 2-3 mystery problems will also be available for bidding, which may be more challenging but offer higher rewards if solved correctly. An auction is conducted where participants are allowed to bid for their preferred problem and power ups with their awarded credits. Participants can code their solutions using C/C++/Python within 45 minutes.

• Credits: Credits = 1000 × Round 1 Quiz Score. Use them to bid for problems and power-ups.
• Auction: 10 regular + 2–3 Mystery Problems are available. Mystery Problems offer higher rewards but may be more challenging.
• Unique Problems: Highest bidder wins the problem. No problem will be assigned to more than one participant.
• Strategy Time: 5 minutes are provided before the auction to plan bids.
• Power-Ups: A. Hint – Get a hint. B. Extra Time – +5 minutes. C. Skip Bonus – Skip the bonus objective. D. Double Bonus – 2× bonus points (500 credits). E. Time Freeze – Pause timer for 5 minutes (600 credits).
• Coding: 45 minutes to solve the selected problem using C, C++, or Python.
• Bonus: Optional bonus objectives reward optimized or constraint-based solutions.
• Fair Play: No sharing, plagiarism, unauthorized assistance, or system manipulation. Violations lead to disqualification.
• Final Decision: Organizers' decisions on auction, evaluation, and scoring are final.

If any teams do finish at the same exact time and has passed all the testcases, the most optimal code will be chosen as the winner.