Contest FAQ

What happens if I close the tab?

The attempt keeps running. The clock is a deadline stored on the server, so nothing in your browser can pause it. Your circuit.py and main.py are saved in the browser as you type and come back when you reopen the attempt. More detail in the daily contest.

Does the timer pause?

No. It runs from Start to the deadline whether you are watching it, working, or away. Only an accepted submission stops it — Run and Run tests do not touch it, and neither does waiting for the judge.

Is the starter code free?

Yes. The Raspberry Pi board is provided free of charge, and the starter files cost nothing by themselves. You pay only for the parts your circuit.py buys — for example a resistor costs $0.25 and an LED $1 — and kits are billed at their kit price. See how scoring works.

What does a verdict mean?

Accepted means every check passed. Rejected, build-error and over-budget mean the attempt was not solved, and each adds five minutes to your score. An error verdict means the judge could not finish and costs nothing. All five are explained in submissions and verdicts.

Can I submit after the time limit?

No. When the countdown reaches zero the attempt is timed out: Submit is disabled, and the server refuses any further submission for that attempt. You can still read your build, and the objective becomes untimed practice after the day ends.

Why is my submission queued?

The judge works through submissions in order, a few at a time. "queued" means yours is in line (the Results tab shows its place and an estimate); "judging" means it is being run now. The wait does not affect your score, because your seconds stop at the moment you submit. See submissions and verdicts.

Does an error verdict count against me?

No. Only rejected, build-error and over-budget submissions add the 5-minute penalty. "The judge could not finish" is the server's fault and is free.

How are ties broken?

If two makers score the same, the earlier finish ranks first. See leaderboards and ties.

Can I keep practising?

Yes. After the day ends, the objective moves to Practice: untimed, unranked and unlimited. Practice also has 166 problems of its own, in seven topic sets. You can also build freely in the sandbox, and fork winning builds from past days — see past solutions.

When does the next objective appear?

At 00:00 UTC, every day. The countdown on the day's page shows how long is left. It is one attempt per UTC day, with the same objective all day.