ALL COMPETITORS MUST READ THIS TAB BEFORE REGISTERING.

New Competitors:

-Before the competition, watch this great video made by WCA Senior Delegate Kit Clement with the basics of how it all works.
-Also check out this written tutorial on the WCA website to learn about the procedures for competing and judging.
-We encourage first time competitors to test out the timing equipment before your first attempt! Feel free to ask a staff member how competing works.
-The competitors will be split up into groups for competing. You will be assigned a group, which you can find on the Groups Tab.
-On the day of the competition when your group number is called you bring your puzzle up and put it on a scorecard with your name on it and wait in the competitor waiting area until your name is called.
-It's a good idea to arrive before the scheduled time for your event because if you are not there for the last call you might not be allowed to compete.
-Read the "All Competitors" information below.

All Competitors:

-Be familiar with the WCA Regulations!
-We are going to need all the help we can get from volunteers throughout the day to make the competition run well. You may judge in any group that you aren't competing during, in addition to your assigned judging!
-Information about assigned judging will be available around the room; you will be assigned one group of helping for each event you are competing in.
-Parents and spectators are welcome to judge too, it's a great way to have a new experience and be more involved with the event, other than competing!
-If you do not know how to judge all of the staff members are more than happy to teach you.
-Flash photography is NOT allowed because it is very distracting to people while they are solving.
-You must NOT talk about the scrambles of an event while it is still in progress (2g3).
-Make sure all screens of any cameras or phones you have on the table are facing away from you and do not touch them during the attempt, otherwise this will result in a DNF (2i2).
-Please treat the venue with respect, pick up any trash, keep track of your puzzles, and respect other people's puzzles.

We will provide a judging tutorial at the beginning of the day, right before the start of the 3x3 Speedsolving event. This will allow anyone with questions about how to judge to be properly prepared when they are expected to help. We hope that this system will fairly divide up the judging of the competition and make the competition run smoothly for all.

Schedule Changes and Rounds:

-Be aware of regulation A1a3: if we are lacking volunteers or the competition begins to fall behind schedule, we reserve the right to make the limits stricter as needed. We don't want that to happen, so please consider helping out when you aren't competing!
-In regards to later rounds, be aware of regulation 9p3. If you won't be present for a further round you made it to please let us know so we can drop you and move someone else into the round; similarly, if you aren't present when the further round begins we may assume that to be your withdrawal and drop you so the next competitor in the rankings can compete.

Before Inspection:

1. Reset the timer, so that it shows all zeroes.
2. Reset the stopwatch, so that it shows all zeroes.
3. Ask the competitor if they are ready. Wait until they say that they are.

Inspection:

1. Simultaneously start the stopwatch and lift the cover from the puzzle.
2. If the stopwatch reaches 8 seconds and the competitor has not started the timer yet, say “8 seconds.”
3. If the stopwatch reaches 12 seconds and the competitor has not started the timer yet, say “12 seconds.”
4. If the competitor starts the timer between 15.01 and 17.00, they receive a +2 penalty.
5. If the competitor starts the timer after 17 seconds, they receive a DNF.

During the solve:

1. Do not distract the competitor. Refrain from doing any activity that may distract yourself or the competitor, like cubing or looking at your phone
2. Pay attention to the solve so that if any incident occurs, you can discuss with the delegate. Again, do not solve your own cubes while judging!

Cutoffs:

1. If the competitor fails to make the listed time limit, after they go over that time limit, the judge stops their attempt and the solve is marked a DNF.
2. If the competitor fails to make the listed cutoff after completing the first 2 attempts (first attempt if the competitor is given 3 attempts), the competitor is finished after those attempts.

After the solve:

1. Inspect the puzzle without touching or moving it to see if it is solved. If there is a misalignment and you are not sure about the correct penalty, ask for help.
2. If the competitor touches the puzzle before you have a chance to look at it, the solve is given a DNF. a. If the competitor has not made any moves, you can give them a +2 penalty instead.
3. Write down the time of the solve on the scorecard. a. If there was no penalty, just write the time shown on the timer. b. If there was a +2 penalty at the beginning of the solve, write “2 +” before writing the time on the timer. c. If there was a +2 penalty at the end of the solve, write “+ 2” after writing the time on the timer. d. All solves with penalties have to include an equals sign and final result. (e.g. 19.57+2=21.57)
4. If the solve was a DNF, write DNF instead of a time. For Blindfolded, write the time as well.
5. Put your initials in the Judge column and have the competitor initial in the Comp column.

Other:

• If it’s the competitor’s first official solve, encourage them to practice using the timer once or twice before inspection.
• If a piece pops out of the puzzle, the competitor has to either reassemble the puzzle with the timer still running, or receive a DNF because the puzzle is not considered solved, it is up to the delegate to decide if the cube is solved depending on what pieces are missing.
• When a puzzle defect happens during a solve, nobody except the competitor can touch any pieces of the cube.

Want to stay connected with the West Coast community? Join the West Coast Cubing Community Discord Server! Speak with other competitors from NorCal, SoCal, Nevada, Hawaii, and Tijuana and keep in touch with fellow competitors and meet new ones! Find out about competition discussion as it happens in real time, and even announcements for competitions before registration opens!

Click here to be directly taken to the Discord Server!