Contest rules

The CodinGame Contests are online programming competitions where programmers / software developers from around the world (the “Participants”) come to challenge themselves for fun, or to showcase their skills (the “CodinGame Contests”).
CodinGame Contests involve the development of computer programs using one of the offered programming languages to solve complex problems within a limited time frame. These contests are anonymous, and no personal data is shared with CodinGame's potential partners.

CodinGame, is owned by CoderPad France SA, registered with the Trade and Companies Register of Montpellier (France) under the number 75053861300019, whose headquarters are located at 396 rue du Mas de Verchant, Immeuble Archimède - 34000 Montpellier, France, organizes the CodinGame programming Contests.

CodinGame Contests take place online on the Internet (or, in some cases, online and onsite) at dates (and locations) specified on the Site www.codingame.com (the “Site”).

CodinGame Contests are anonymous for all Participants. No personal data are shared with any partner.

Detailed information on the CodinGame Contests and how to participate can be found on the Site: www.codingame.com.

CodinGame Contests are open to any individual over 18 years old, with an internet connection and a valid email address, regardless of their nationality, and without any specific educational or professional requirements.

Configuration requirements to participate to CodinGame Contests are as follows: access to the Internet, a valid email address, and a valid postal address.

Participant undertakes to participate to CodinGame Contests using equipment that meets the configuration requirements described above, and that does not contain any viruses.

Access to the CodinGame Contests is prohibited for the following people:

• Officers and employees of CodinGame or any CodinGame affiliate (i.e. company it controls, which controls it or under common control with it), as well as their family members (ascendants and descendants);
• Anyone who has worked or is working on developing the CodinGame Contests, as well as their family members (direct ascendants and descendants).

CodinGame reserves the right to ask any Participant to justify these conditions. Any Participant who doesn't meet these conditions or who refuses to provide proof shall be excluded from the CodinGame Contest and shall not benefit from the advantages if successful in the CodinGame Contest.

By participating in a CodinGame Contest, all Participants shall act in a fair and loyal manner and refrain from cheating, faking, thieving identity or any other technique to change the result of the Contest. They shall be required to participate and perform tests alone without the help of a third party or any technical assistance.

Participation in the CodinGame Contests is free of charge for Participants and doesn't imply any purchase obligation.

Participation is strictly personal ; each Participant may only register once for a particular CodinGame Contest and may not participate in any way on behalf of third parties.

As such, Participant acknowledges that their access to the Site and CodinGame Contests is strictly personal and confidential. Participant is forbidden to make these accesses available to third parties, whether free of charge or in return for payment.

Participant is responsible for the management and security of the accesses they have received, and is required to notify CodinGame of any compromise of his identifiers or unauthorized access to the Site.

The Participants irrevocably agree that all solutions that they submit to the CodinGame platform during the Contest (the “Solutions”) may be published under the open source GPL v3 license, that they shall transfer all corresponding intellectual property rights according to the conditions of such licence and that all abovementioned solutions may be made ​​publicly available to anyone through CodinGame at the end of the Contest, under the conditions detailed in the GPL v3 license.
However Participants retain ownership of all intellectual and industrial property rights (including moral rights) in and to code they submit to the CodinGame platform during the Contest.

Participation in the CodinGame Contests implies acceptance of these in their entirety. Failure to comply with these shall result in the participation being considered null and void.

Participants also state that they submit to the decisions of CodinGame for any case not provided for in these or any contentious situation.

To participate in a CodinGame Contest, Participants simply need to connect to the Site, click on the button "Join in" corresponding to the selected CodinGame Contest, and register by filling in the following fields:

• email
• password
• nickname

Additional information may be requested but is not required for registration.

To become familiar with the development platform used for the CodinGame Contests, Participants can access a training page on the Site by clicking on the following link: GAMES.

At the date and time the CodinGame Contest starts, registered Participants will receive a link at the email address indicated when registering to the Contest, through which they will be able to connect to the Contest platform.

The platform provides an online development environment that allows Participants to solve the Contest's programming problems and submit their program directly online, without having to resort to external programs.

Participants may choose to use their own development environment but they then must submit their response within the online development environment for the answer to be taken into account by the rating system (an illustrative example of this is on the Site).

Once on the platform, and after having clicked on the "Start" button, Participants shall have access to the first problem statement.

Participants have an overall time to finish the Contest. This time is noted at the top of the IDE, it counts down and ends at the same time for everyone. Within that timeframe, Participants can manage the time they spend on each problem as they wish.

In order to facilitate time management, an indicative duration to solve each problem is displayed on top of each exercise statement. Participants can navigate through the questions, choose to spend more time on a problem, or go back to a previous question to refine their solution until the overall time is elapsed.

However, on the last question, once the "Submit" button has been clicked, the total work is considered validated and Participants cannot go back to modify their programs anymore. If Participants have not submitted their solutions on the platform within the overall time limit, their work will be submitted automatically as is.

The evaluation of Participants is objective and is done on the platform through an automated system configured in order to evaluate the solutions submitted by Participants.

Code submitted by Participants for each question will be compiled and evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Scores for the test cases

Points are awarded when the solution is sent to the platform: the code is tested with test cases that reflect the specifications associated with the problem statement. In order to avoid cheating, these test cases are different from those given in the problem statement.

Participants whose code passes all test cases on the platform servers shall obtain the maximum score.

Applicants whose code does not compile or fails all the test cases will be assigned a score of zero.
Participants' codes are evaluated on a set of test cases directly related to the statement of each problem.
On the basis of this automatic evaluation, each Participant will receive a score calculated using the following formula: sum of points for each test passed / total sum of all the test cases.
This ratio is expressed in the form of a percentage.

• Submission time

In the case of tied scores, Participants may be ranked taking into account the time taken to submit solutions to problems.

The time spent to solve a problem shall be considered when deciding between two equal scores: if the number of points awarded to two people is equal then the person who has spent the least time to answer all the problems shall be classified above the other, although the scores remain equal.

• Participants results

The day following the Contest, all Participants will receive by email their detailed results, including the following:

• Their score
• The source code of their solutions
• Time spent solving each problem
• Success or failure of the test cases defined for each problem
• The number of points associated with each test case

The results are obtained by applying objective criteria, on validation of an automated performance measurement process and the scores and ranking cannot be disputed nor appealed.

Without any obligation for CodinGame, certain CodinGame Contests may propose rewards in the form of prizes, which may be given to Participant(s) with the highest rank.

In that case, the description of the CodinGame Contest on the Site will expressly state the awarding (or not) of prizes for the considered CodinGame Contest, which is neither an essential element, nor the primary purpose of the CodinGame Contests.

In the event that the CodinGame Contest provides prizes, the description of the CodinGame Contest concerned on the Site will mention the nature of the prizes to be awarded.

The Participant who has won an award shall be contacted by email within 2 weeks after the end of the CodinGame Contest and the prize will be sent to the address indicated in the application form. If the Participant does not provide CodinGame with his/her postal address within 7 days after the sending of such email, CodinGame may decide to award the prize to other Participants (following the ranking).

Prizes offered may not give rise to any dispute, nor delivery of their exchange value in any form whatsoever, or their replacement or exchange for any causes whatsoever, since this Contest does not constitute a promotional game.

CodinGame however, reserves the right to replace prizes with a prize of equal or greater value including, but without limitation, in the event of force majeure, if prizes originally planned are out of stock or in case of any other unforeseen, irresistible and external event which makes it impossible to issue the planned prizes in a timely manner.

The information required on the Site, such as email, name, address, etc... is collected and used in order to manage the Contest, to run a service in accordance with the Participant's expectations, to contact the Participants, to manage the platform, and to keep a record of exchanges and transactions.

This information, as well as the information entered in the detailed profile will also be used to generate internal statistics.
The technical service providers who may be in charge of the management of the Contest are required to respect the confidentiality of the information and to use it only for the specific operation for which they are required to intervene.

Participants have the right to access, rectify or delete their personal information which may be exercised by a simple written request addressed to CodinGame's registered office.

For more information concerning your rights, the purposes and legal bases of the processing and the duration of storage of your Data, you may consult our Privacy Policy.

Non-compliance with any provision of the items listed above shall lead to disqualification from the CodinGame Contest. The decision shall be made unilaterally by CodinGame.

Cheating is forbidden, under penalty of disqualification from the CodinGame Contest. Cheating means:

• Public release of a solution
• Exploitation of a flaw in the computing system
• The use or misuse of a solution
• An attempt to attack CodinGame servers
• Obfuscating your code as well as creating obstacles to its reading and understanding.
• Cheating or wrongdoing observed, such as in particular being assisted by a person or a machine, participating collectively, replacing on behalf of a registered Participant

CodinGame reserves the right to make all the necessary checks regarding the Participants' identity, email and IP address, and generally regarding the respect of the abovementioned rules.
Any indication of false identity or email or IP address shall cause the Participant to be eliminated.
CodinGame may cancel the participation of any Participant who has not complied with these.
This cancellation may be made at any time without notice.

Participants acknowledge that content of any kind, and in particular logos, text, graphics, video or audio clips, trademarks, software, slogans, names, titles, data bases etc. (the “Content”), appearing on the Site are, as the case may be, CodinGame’s property or of third parties having authorized CodinGame to use them. The Content may be protected by copyright, trademarks and all other intellectual property rights belonging or assigned to CodinGame.

The latter consents a private, non-collective and non-exclusive right to access and to use as part of the CodinGame Contests on such content to the Participants.

Any reproduction, representation, adaptation, transfer, modification, translation or use of all or part of the Content is strictly prohibited, except for their common use by Participants as part of the CodinGame Contests.

The Participants commit under these not to reproduce, summarize, modify, alter or redistribute without CodinGame's prior written permission, all or any part of the contents referred to in this article.

Participants warranty CodinGame that their Solutions are not infringing any third party intellectual property rights. In the event of a claim by a third party, Participants agree to compensate CodinGame for any damages resulting from such an act of infringement.

CodinGame may in no way be held responsible for the failure of the internet network and the successful sending and receipt of mail, and the lack of postal services.

CodinGame reserves the right to shorten, extend, suspend or cancel the CodinGame Contests if so required. It shall not be held liable if an unforeseen circumstance or a case of force majeure imposed any changes whatsoever to the CodinGame Contests.

CodinGame also reserves this right in case of computer viruses, external attack, fraud, technical failure, and Participants shall be unable to seek its responsibility for this.
Thus CodinGame reserves the right to sue in court those responsible for these facts.

In addition, CodinGame shall not be held liable for damages of any nature whatsoever, originating from a case of force majeure or any other external element, such as loss of revenue, data, customers, or any financial or commercial loss, any disturbance to business, lost profits or immaterial damages

Also, the responsibility would not be sought if the contract execution is delayed prevented due to a case of force majeure or unforeseeable circumstances, due to the other party or a third party or an external cause such as social conflicts, the intervention of civil or military authorities, natural disasters, fires, water damage, malfunction or interruption of the telecommunications network or power supply.

Force majeure means any event outside the affected area, of an unforeseeable, unavoidable and insurmountable nature, that prevents either party from fulfilling all or part of their obligations as stipulated by this contract.

Insofar as is permitted by law, in no event will the sponsor and/or collaboration partner of the CodinGame Content or CoderPad France SA and all their respective officers, directors, employees and representatives be responsible or liable for any damages or losses of any kind, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages, arising out of (i) participant’s participation in the CodinGame Contest; and (ii) the nature or quality of any prizes awarded; (iii) the operation of the CodinGame Contest. Without limiting the foregoing, everything offered under this CodinGame Contest is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.

Participation to the CodinGame Contests is entirely free.

It is recalled that any connection made on an unlimited flat-rate basis (Cable, DSL ..), that would potentially incur additional costs, entirely relies on each Participant and is his sole responsibility; as such, it will not give rise to any refund on CodinGame’s part.

CodinGame is subject to an obligation of means to the Participant for the Site maintenance and is therefore committed to take all necessary measures to ensure that CodinGame Contests take place in appropriate conditions of transit time, useful debit and permanence.

However, CodinGame cannot guarantee the operation of services twenty-four hours per day and seven days a week in particular due to nature of Internet and computer and network infrastructures required to conduct the CodinGame Contest. CodinGame notably reserves its right to modify the content of the Site or platform, at any time and without notice, and to interrupt or suspend all or part of the functionalities of the Site at any time and without notice. It cannot be held responsible for the consequences of such modifications and interruptions.

In all the cases mentioned, no compensation will be paid to the Participants whatever the damage suffered.

Indeed, malfunction or unavailability of the Site does not constitute a period during which the organizer does not fulfill its contractual obligations.

By entering the CodinGame Contest, the Participant claims to have the real skills that are sought.

They declare that during the CodinGame Contests they will make every effort to behave in a fair and loyal manner.

Participant acknowledges that they are liable to CodinGame and/or third parties for any direct and/or indirect material and/or immaterial damage of any nature whatsoever caused by their use of the Site in breach of these terms. Participant warranties CodinGame, as well as any of its aAiliates, sponsors and/or collaboration partners, against all claims, demands and/or actions of any kind, resulting from any breach of the said provisions for which they may be responsible.

Insofar as is permitted by law, in no event will the sponsor and/or collaboration partner of the CodinGame Content and/or CoderPad France SA and all their respective officers, directors, employees and representatives be responsible or liable for any damages or losses of any kind, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages, arising out of (i) participant’s participation in the CodinGame Contest; and (ii) the nature or quality of any prizes awarded; (iii) the operation of the CodinGame Contest. Without limiting the foregoing, everything offered under this CodinGame Contest is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.

Participants are made aware that CodinGame Contest may contain promotion or advertising for certain products, services and/or trademarks, including promotion and advertising related to CodinGame sponsors or collaboration partners.

If one or more provisions of these are declared invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

All cases not covered by the Contest shall be settled by CodinGame whose decisions are final.

The law applicable to this contract is the French law.

Any dispute arising in connection with a CodinGame Contest shall be the subject of an attempt for amicable settlement. Any dispute or claim relating to a CodinGame Contest shall be made in writing and sent to the registered head office.

In the absence of agreement within (30) days of the receipt of such dispute or claim, the dispute shall be submitted to the competent courts in the jurisdiction of the organizing company, unless contrary to public order.

No dispute shall be admissible later than one year after the CodinGame Contest is closed.

The Rules can be consulted on the Site at the following address: www.codingame.com/rules