The Sunday Blindfolded Rubik's Games contest: Rules for participation

Rules for participation in the Sunday Blindfolded Rubik's Games contest

Competitors will be allowed to compete in either of two divisions for the Rubik's 3x3x3 cube, in addition to the open division. You may compete in all divisions if you so choose. Below are the overall rules that apply to all divisions.

General Rules
1) Three scrambling algorithms taken from Jess Bonde's timer will be posted before Sunday for both of the 3x3x3 cube divisions. These algorithms are to be used for the Rubik's 3x3x3 cube divisions only, which begin on Sunday. Competitors are not required to participate all three times in either division. Results for both Rubik's 3x3x3 divisions will be posted Wednesday evening EST.

2) All open division attempts may begin on Sunday and will be posted Friday evening EST. The extra time is to allow for attempts at more difficult puzzles such as the 4x4x4 or 5x5x5. Competitors may solve multiple puzzles for the open division, but you may only make a maximum of three official attempts per puzzle (the fastest time determines your rank if more than one person submits a time for the same puzzle).

3) The fastest of the competitor's submitted solves for each 3x3x3 division will determine his/her overall rank for the given week in that division. Tied competitors in any final ranking list will be ranked as such, allowing for multiple winners in each category in any given week.

4) For Division I and Division II attempts competitors may never use a cube that has any sort of markings that make the pieces identifiable by touch (i.e. no textured cubes). You may, however, solve textured puzzles for the open division under the category of the textured version of that puzzle (i.e. you can submit a textured 3x3x3 attempt or textured pyraminx attempt, etc.).

5) Given the fact that many competitors may be unable to have someone time the solving portion of their attempts, and must thereby time themselves, times in Division I competition need only be accurate to the second. Timing is conducted differently for each division and is detailed below.

6) In each division should a competitor fail to solve the puzzle for any reason, he/she may not be given another try for that scrambling algorithm. The incompleted solve must be posted as such when submitting your times.

7) Competitors are required to obstruct their eyes with a blindfold of some sort for the solving portion of each trial. The material of the blindfold may not be transparent to any degree. Simply closing your eyes or "not looking" are not allowed in this competition in order to simulate the competitive conditions at an official competition. Competitors, to their discretion, may wear ear protection to block out any noise, however headphones with music are strictly not allowed. Competitors are allowed to wear headphones to block out noise, but may not listen to music during a solve.

8) Competition records will be kept for all puzzles solved. These records will not be recognized as official by any organization (such as Guinness or the WCA), but will be recognized as the official Sunday Blindfolded Rubik's Games contest records, and will be displayed in a section on the contest page.

9) In all divisions, should you unsuccessfully solve the puzzle blindfolded for all of your official solves but successfully complete it after any number of tries, please submit your three unsuccessful trials as well as your successful trial and it will be included (though unranked) as an honorable mention for completing the puzzle.

Rules for Division I Rubik's 3x3x3 cube competition

1) Competitors may not write any notes or in any way use an aid to help memorizing the cube. This must be done entirely by brainpower, no help allowed!

2) In this division the timing starts as soon as the competitor first sees the scrambled cube, and ends once the competitor has solved the cube. The purpose of this division is to time the amount of time it takes to both memorize and solve the cube. Times need only be accurate to the second, to account for the fact that the competitor may be forced to time him/herself.

3) Depending on how you time yourself, the following parts must be adhered to for recording your time for each trial:

	i) The competitor may stop the timer upon completing the cube, while still wearing the blindfold. In this case the time must be record exactly as shown on the timer (not including the hundreths of a second). Should the competitor fail to actually stop the timer, and notice this upon removing the blindfold, the competitor must then stop the timer and record the time exactly as displayed on the timer (do not including the hundreths of a second).
	ii) The competitor may remove the blindfold immediately upon finishing the solve and record the time as seen on the timing device. Should the competitor choose this option he/she should subtract one second from their time to account for the time required to remove the blindfold.
	iii) The competitor may have someone else time the overall time of their attempt. In this case the timing begins once the competitor first sees the scrambled cube, and ends once the competitor verbally states to the person timing that he/she believes the cube to be solved. If the cube is indeed solved, the person with the timer should stop the timer and that is the time to be recorded. If the cube is not solved when the competitor states that he/she believes it to be, the trial is considered an unsuccessful solve. Times recorded in this fashion need only be accurate to the second.

Rules for Division II Rubik's 3x3x3 cube competition

1) Competitors may not write any notes or in any way use an aid to help memorizing the cube. This must be done entirely by brainpower, no help allowed!

2) In this division the timing measures only the amount of time it takes to solve the cube. Competitors may take an unlimited amount of time for memorizing the cube, however competitors must do this in one sitting and may not spread it over a few days. Times must be accurate to the hundreth of a second. It is recommend for this division that someone else time the solving portion of the competitor's solve.

3) Should someone else time the solving portion of your solve, the following rules must be followed,

ii) The competitor may have someone else time the solving portion of their attempt. In this case the timing begins once the cube is picked up, and ends once the competitor verbally states to the person timing that he/she believes the cube to be solved. If the cube is indeed solved, the person with the timer should stop the timer and that is the time to be recorded. If the cube is not solved when the competitor states that he/she believes it to be, the trial is considered an unsuccessful solve. Times recorded in this fashion must be accurate the the hundreth of a second.

3) Should the competitor be forced to time him/herself, he/she may stop the timer upon completing the cube, while still wearing the blindfold. In this case the time is to be recorded exactly as shown on the timing device, and must be accurate to the hundreth of a second. Should the competitor fail to actually stop the timer, and notice this upon removing the blindfold, he/she must then stop the timer and record the time exactly as shown.

Rules for Open Division Rubik's games competition

1) In this division any puzzle may be solved in a blindfolded manner, and it need not be a Rubik's style puzzle. It is to my sole discretion whether or not to include a puzzle category in the results, however all Rubik style and metal (or other material) disentanglement style puzzles will always be accepted. If you feel a category might not be accepted by me, please e-mail me before attempting your record and I will respond as promptly as possible whether or not I would accept a record attempt for that puzzle. If you have any disputes about my decision I am willing to discuss it with you via e-mail.

2) To promote blindfolded solving practice for other puzzles, you may practice your open division puzzle(s) as many times as you like, however you may only make a maximum of three official attempts to submit for the contest. You must determine before you scramble the puzzle for Rubik-like puzzles, and before you put on the blindfold for disentanglement puzzles whether or not that solve will be an official solve. You may not do any practice solves after you have done your first official solves (this is to simulate competition condititions).

3) For any solves timed in the style of Division I 3x3x3 solving, the competitor must record the overall time in the same fashion as that division. Likewise for any solves timed in the style of Division II 3x3x3 solving, the competitor must record the overall time in the same fashion as that division.

4) For all puzzle attempts the puzzle must be fully scrambled, by the definitions set forth by the WCA for the Rubik's 2003 Rubik's Games Championship. This only applies to puzzles involving sequential movement, such as Rubik's style puzzles, Sam Lloyd's 15 puzzle, or similar puzzles.
i) Blindfolded attempts at disentanglement puzzles must start with the puzzle in the furthest possible position from the solution.

5) Should two competitors solve the same puzzle, they will be ranked together according to the same rules as the Rubik's cube 3x3x3 divisions.

6) Competitors in the open division may take at most three attempts per puzzle. If you post multiple times for a category in this division, the fastest time will determine your rank for that category in the open division.

7) Competitors may increase the difficulty of their attempts by solving combinations of puzzles blindfolded. For example a competitor may submit a time for solving 2 Rubik's 3x3x3 cubes blindfolded. All puzzles must be memorized before putting on the blindfold, and the competitor's final time must include the time it takes to solve all puzzles in the combination.

Good luck to all competitors!

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