Rules and FAQ
How the National Programming Challenge works: who can take part, how problems open, how points are counted, and what happens when it closes.
Eligibility
National Programming Challenge is designed with high-school students in mind and welcomes other learners. No prior competitive-programming experience is required.
Each participant uses their own individual account with their own email address and password. Entry is free.
Dates
The challenge closes November 7, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
All times use Eastern Time (America/New_York). A submission counts if the platform receives it before the deadline: the time our server records it, not your device’s clock. A submission received before the deadline stays eligible even if judging finishes after the close.
Languages
You can write solutions in Python 3, C++17, Java 17 or JavaScript (Node). You can switch languages on any problem; each language keeps its own draft.
Problems open one at a time
Everyone starts with Problem 1. You can see only the problem you are working on. When you pass every hidden test on it, the next problem opens.
Future problem statements stay hidden until you reach them. Problems you have solved remain available to review from My Progress: one statement at a time, read-only, and reviewing never moves your active problem.
Scoring
- Each problem shows how many hidden tests it has and its maximum score.
- Each hidden test you pass is worth 100 points. Every problem has 10 hidden tests, so a problem is worth up to 1,000 points and all 100 problems together 100,000.
- Example tests in the statement are for checking your output. They earn no points.
- Partial credit counts: passing 7 of 10 tests is worth 700 points.
- Your best single submission on each problem is kept. Submitting again never adds the same points twice, and passes from different submissions are never combined.
- You must pass every hidden test to open the next problem.
Worked example on a problem with 10 hidden tests:
| Submission | Tests passed | This submission | Best score | Points added |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | 7 of 10 | 700 | 700 | +700 |
| Second | 5 of 10 | 500 | 700 | 0 |
| Third | 10 of 10 | 1,000 | 1,000 | +300 |
After the third submission the problem is solved and the next one opens. Your total is the sum of your best score on each problem.
Your scores are private
Your points and progress are shown only to you, and to a teacher if you choose to join their class. There is no leaderboard during the challenge, and students and teachers do not see rankings. Final rankings will likely be released on November 14, 2026, a week after the challenge closes, once submitted code has been reviewed.
Organizers can calculate standings internally to run the challenge. They are not shown to students or teachers.
Classes
Joining a teacher’s class is optional. You can take part entirely on your own.
If you join with a class code or link, that teacher can see your display alias, current problem, problems attempted and solved, points and last activity. They cannot see your email or your code. You can leave a class at any time; your scores stay the same.
Library, hints and solutions
The Algorithm Library explains general techniques with original chapters, and it is open to everyone throughout the challenge. Competition problems do not come with hints; the library is the place to look when you are stuck. Practice exercises in the library keep their own hints and solutions, and they never affect your competition score.
Full solutions and explanations for competition problems are not published while the challenge is open. They are released after it closes.
Collaboration and AI tools
- The code you submit must be your own work.
- You may discuss general ideas and library topics with others. Don’t share code or step-by-step solutions for problems that are still open.
- You may use AI tools to explain concepts, language features or error messages. Don’t use them to write or fix solutions to open competition problems.
- Teachers may walk through Problem 1 with their class as an introduction. From Problem 2 on, teachers may teach techniques and give conceptual help, but not solutions to open problems; the independent-work rules above apply.
If a rule may have been broken. Organizers may review suspected violations. If a violation is confirmed, the affected submissions may receive no credit, and repeated abuse may result in account suspension.
After the challenge closes
At Nov 7, 11:59 p.m. ET, scores freeze. After that:
- Every problem opens for practice. Practice runs never change your score.
- Full explanations for each problem are released.
- Your history and solved problems stay in My Progress.