Note: there is one rule clarification since the 2024 USPC, summarized here:

 

• Outside Help: solving using an online drawing app is clarified as being permitted; however the use of an automated "undo" feature to edit your work is NOT permitted.

 

The official purpose of the championship is to recognize the top U.S. puzzle solvers, to participate in the 2026 World Puzzle Championship in Kolkata, India during the week of Oct. 11-18, 2026. Unofficial participation is open to all puzzlers world-wide, with nationality determined by citizenship, not residence.

 

For official Team USA qualifying, you must start at 1pm ET (10am PT) on Saturday, July 18 and complete answer submissions within the time limit (unless a hardship accommodation is granted in advance). Otherwise, the test timing is flexible, with a personal window starting any time and finishing before 10pm ET on Monday July 20.

 

Registration

Test Procedures

Scoring

Outside Help

Judging

Technical Support

Results and Winners

 

 

Registration

All contestants must register to participate in this online championship, and must login to submit answers. See the Privacy Policy regarding our use of registration and other information collected by this site.

 

Test Procedures

Unlike some previous years, you can start this USPC test anytime between 1pm ET (10am PT) on July 18 and 7pm ET on July 20. However to be considered for Team USA qualifying, you must start immediately at the start of the test window (unless a hardship accommodation is granted in advance). The test duration is expected to be 2 1/2 hours.

 

The test procedure is the same as 2025, but may be different from your prior experience; so please read the following to ensure you are familiar.

 

• Starting Friday July 17 (possibly sooner), download the 2026 Preview Puzzle Instructions and encrypted 2026 USPC PDF files.
• The preview instructions include a sample puzzle and solution, point value, and a description of the answer key format for each puzzle on the test. This will give you a head-start for translation or any other reasonable preparation, such as trying out puzzle types that you are unfamiliar with.
• Go to the Start USPC page when ready to start. Once there, click either start button or link, which will reveal the USPC password and start your solving clock.
• Using the password, open the 2026 USPC PDF file and begin solving!
• You will have 2 1/2 hours to solve as many puzzles as you can and submit your answers via the Answer Page. Your submission time is recorded with your answers. After you submit an answer or answers, the confirmation page will show your timestamp and remind you to check your Timer. You may then return to the Answer Page to view your submitted answers, continue solving, and to submit additional answers.
• For your convenience, a separate Timer Window is available to show the current server time and a countdown to test end. The Timer is available from the right sidebar when you are using the "start", "password", or "answer" pages. This is a convenience, and not guaranteed to be accurate. You are personally responsible for submitting answers on time.

 

After 2 1/2 hours, your personal test period is over. To allow for exceptional cases, such as emergency or network lag, the Answer Page will continue to accept answer submissions; otherwise excessively late answers will likely not be accepted.

 

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Scoring

Your last Answer Page submission before the deadline will be time-stamped and scored. Your final score is the total of all points accumulated, including bonus.

• The scoring for each puzzle is given at the top of the page. A correct answer will earn the number of points indicated (which is a rough, relative indication of the time expected to solve the puzzle).
• Leaving an answer blank will score 0 points.
• There is no penalty for incorrect answers, except for spot-the-differences as noted below.
• For a spot-the-differences puzzle (#4, TBD), you may identify up to 10 differences, and will score 1 point for each correct difference found. If any portion of your answer is incorrect you will receive a single penalty of -5 points, but will still receive points for the correct portions of your answer. Any penalty will not reduce your score below 0. No more than 10 differences will be considered (after 10 will be ignored). If you find all of the differences, you will receive a 5 point bonus.
• If you submit all answers completely and correctly, you will receive a bonus of 2.0 points per minute early (including fractional minutes) before the test time limit.
• All answers must be submitted within the test time limit. If a late submission is accepted beyond a short grace period (10s), late answers will be subject to a prorated 2.0 point per minute penalty.

 

Ranking and tie-breaking will be based on the following rules in order:

1. Most total points, including bonus
2. Earliest final submission time

 

Outside Help

Outside solving help of any kind is not permitted. This includes but is not limited to: assistance of any kind from any other person; prepared notes, books, calculators, computers, or tools other than items explicitly permitted.

 

The puzzles are intended to be solved on paper. Solving online using a drawing app is considered equivalent and is permitted. However the use of any automated "undo" feature to edit your work is considered impermissible computer assistance.

 

You are allowed to use writing implements, eraser, blank paper (including commercial graph paper), ruler, scissors, tape, and translation of Preview Instructions.

 

Judging

All entries and scores are subject to review for rules compliance. USA winners may be asked provide a copy of their passport ID page to prove nationality, and to sign an affidavit confirming that they did, in fact, abide by the rules of the competition. The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any contestant if, in their sole judgment, they believe the rules have been violated.

 

In case of a dispute, protest, or other judgment, the decision of the judges is final.

 

Technical Support

The organizers do not expect any technical problems with the operation of championship. If you do encounter a problem that is likely causing trouble for many contestants, check the USPC home page. If you have a problem that is most likely affecting only you, you may call the test hotline number: (+1) 650-302-4898. Officials will not, however, answer any questions regarding the puzzles themselves.

 

Results and Winners

The solutions to the test puzzles will be published here after July 20. The USA contestants with the top five unaudited scores will be notified within one day of the test period. All contestants will receive a preliminary scoring summary via email by July 22, and will have a 1-day window to respond with any scoring protests. Final results will be published on this web site no later than Saturday, July 25.

 

There are two-three open positions for the USA A-Team, to be filled almost exclusively based on the results the this test. Participants for USA B/C/D-Teams will also be recruited based on the test results. The U.S. Puzzle Team will compete at the World Puzzle Championship in Kolkata, India during the week of Oct. 11-18, 2026.

 

Unofficial scores for participants from other countries will be posted at the same time as the USA scores, and may be forwarded to the corresponding WPC team organizer, upon request, for consideration. If there is no organized team for your country, you may be contacted regarding individual WPC participation.