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SPONTANEOUS PROBLEM PROCEDURES
very
tournament site should have a
spontaneous holding room where
teams report 10 minutes before
their scheduled competition time. (If there
is no holding room, teams should report to
the competition site 10 minutes before the
scheduled time and wait quietly for further
instruction.) Only one coach may accompany
the team into the holding room.
One team member should register the
team, giving its long-term problem and
division, and the team membership name
and number. The team will wait in the
holding room until it is called to compete.
A judge will accompany the team members
to the spontaneous problem room.
The coach will remain in a designated area
and wait for the team to return. Where
possible, this should be a different area so
the holding room does not get congested.
All team members are allowed to enter
the spontaneous room. A judge will identify
the type of problem: verbal, hands-on,
or verbal/hands-on. The team members
will then have one minute to decide among
themselves which five will compete. The
non-participating members may remain
and watch or they may choose to leave the
room. If they choose to remain they must
not talk, signal, or intervene in any way. If
a non-participating team member interferes
in any way, that team member will be
asked to leave the room, but the team's
time will continue. Allowing the non-participating
team members to watch the
team compete allows all team members to
feel valued and allows them to know the
problem their teammates have solved
without having to discuss it outside of the
competition site.
If a team has five or fewer members at
a competition, all of the members must
enter the spontaneous room and all must
participate in solving the problem.
Team members should listen carefully
to the judge's directions, as every spontaneous
problem is different and specific rules
for each individual problem may apply.
A judge places a copy of the problem
in full view of the participating team
members and reads the problem aloud.
The team may refer to its copy of the problem
as necessary. Once the judge finishes
reading the problem, he or she will say,
“Begin,” and time starts. The team members
may ask the judges questions, but
time will continue. In some instances,
judges may tell the team that they cannot
answer their specific question, and may
refer the team to the problem. Judges will
try to clarify the problem if necessary to
ensure that the team members understand
what the problem requires; however,
judges will not give information that aids
in solving the problem. In verbal and/or
verbal/hands-on problems the judges will
use the following language:
- If a team member speaks too fast or
mumbles and the judges cannot understand,
they will say, “UNCLEAR.
Please say it again.”
- If a response does not make sense to the
judges or is not acceptable, they will
say, “INAPPROPRIATE. Please clarify
or give another response.”
- If a response is a repeat of what another
team member said, the judges will
say, “DUPLICATE. Please give another
response.”
Once the team has competed it will be
directed to leave the room quietly and
meet the coach at the designated area.
Team members should be reminded that
spontaneous problems must be kept secret
until after the competition, because all
teams in the same long-term problem and
division must solve the same spontaneous
problem. Spontaneous problems are not
subject to the grievance process; however,
if a team has a concern, one team member
should ask to speak to the Spontaneous
Problem Captain, who will then speak
with the judges and the entire team, if necessary.
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-- Joy Kurtz, International
International Problem Captain
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