Clarifications
Odyssey of the Mind Long-Term Problems are written to provide just enough guidance for teams to be able to solve the problem without limiting creativity. There are three types of clarifications: Team Clarifications, General Clarifications and Judges Clarifications.
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Team Clarifications
If teams are unsure about their proposed solution and/or have questions about how to interpret the requirements and limitations of the Long-Term Problem or the Program Guide https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/program-guide/, they should request a Team Specific Clarification. Teams should not just hope their solution will be legal, or seek guidance from an experienced coach or their RD. The questions and answers remain CONFIDENTIAL and the emailed clarification should be provided to tournament officials, to affirm that a team’s solution is valid.
Once you have registered your team's problem and division you should login to the Member Area to submit a new clarification. The deadline for submitting Team Clarifications is Feb 15th 2025.
Please note:
The clarification system is not intended to replace reading the problem and program guide. Teams should read the problem and its limitations, all general clarifications, and the general rules listed in the Program Guide BEFORE requesting a clarification.
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General Clarifications
If many teams are unsure about a particular issue, or the International Problem Captains realize that the problem, as written, is ambiguous, Odyssey of the Mind HQ may issue a General Clarification to all teams. These comprise updates, amendments, or further explanations of Long-Term Problem limitations that are made public for all members. It is vital that teams monitor the general clarifications page for their specific problem because this may alter how a solution may be created, performed or judged.
To read published clarifications go to https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/read-clarifications/
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Judges Clarifications
In some cases, the answer to a team-specific clarification may be distributed to all judges, sometimes with additional guidance from Odyssey HQ, to assure that judging of team solutions is consistent throughout the entire Odyssey of the Mind program. These clarifications are ONLY seen by Odyssey of the Mind officials.
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