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Overview
All 2012 puzzles will be written by Todd Etter. To check your answer,
you must create a
Shinteki account. All solvers will earn points each month based
on when they solve the puzzle, and Shinteki will keep track of points
throughout the year. At the end of the year, prizes will be awarded
to the top individual solvers and other lucky winners.
Points
A solved puzzle is worth 10 points. The first 10 solvers each month
will get bonus points, as follows: 10 points for first to solve, 9 for
second, and so forth. However, 2 points will be deducted for every
hint that is available when you solve the puzzle. If the first person
to solve the puzzle solves it before the first hint arrives, he/she
will get 20 points (10 for solving, 10 bonus for being first). If the
8th person to solve the puzzle does so after the first hint has become
available, he/she will get 11 points (10 for solving, 3 for being 8th,
minus 2 for the first hint). Therefore, even if all three hints have
been posted, you will earn 4 points for solving the puzzle.
Prizes
At the end of the year, Shinteki will award prizes based on point
totals. The top individual point earners will earn some amount of
credit toward future Shinteki events. In addition, all solvers will be
entered into a drawing for other prizes, where the likelihood of
winning is increased the more points you have. This means that even if
you solve just one puzzle, you'll have a chance at a prize (though you
are of course more likely to receive one the more puzzles you
solve). We will determine the exact prizes and the number of winners
toward the end of the year.
Solving
The Puzzle of the Month is meant to be an individual contest. We
understand that some of you like to solve as a team, and we don't want
to discourage that. However, if you do so, please create a single
account to solve with. Teams will not be eligible for the top solver
prizes, but will still be eligible for the weighted drawing. As such,
we may ask you at the end of the contest whether your account is a
team account. Also, since points are based on whether people have
seen our released hints, we ask that you do not give your own hints to
other solvers.
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