Some time ago...
There was a bear named Berry. Berry lived at home with his family and he was quite content. He really enjoyed spending time with his family and he had pretty much everything he wanted! One day while reflecting on how lucky he was, he thought to himself that he should find some way to give back to his family to show his appreciation. So he set out to bake the best pie ever!
In order to make the best pie ever, Berry knew he had to do something to make it stand out. He settled on finding the worlds rarest (and most delicious) berries and using them in his pie! Feeling highly motivated and excited to finally show his appreciation, he quickly set out on his mission.
Will you help Berry on his odyssey to find those berries?
FAQ
What is Bruin Odyssey?
Bruin Odyssey is quarter-long puzzle challenge hosted by ACM Hack and ACM Cyber. It will follow the story of Berry the Bear, as he tries to find the rarest berries to make the best pie ever!
What are the puzzles like?
Puzzles are split into two difficulties: Easy and Hard. Easy Puzzles require minimal computer science knowledge, and can be solved by the majority of players. Hard Puzzles are more challenging and require more technical knowledge and creative thinking to solve.
When will puzzles be released and how many will there be?
Starting the 11th of October, one Easy puzzle and one Hard puzzle will be released at 10pm Monday of each week. There will be a total of 14 puzzles with 7 in each track (Easy and Hard tracks).
How are points calculated?
For each player, we keep track of two different types of points. One is points for the easy track, the other is points for the hard track. The base number of points awarded for solving any puzzle is 40 points. Additionaly, there are "first player" solves and "first week" solves. "First player solve" is when a player is the very first person to solve a puzzle. They get a bonus +10 points. "First week solve" is when a player solves the puzzle during the first week that the puzzle is released. They get a bonus +10 points. Hence, you can get either 40, 50, or 60 points for solving a puzzle.
How are ties resolved?
If players are tied for points, we will add up the total amount of time those players spent solving each puzzle (time between solve and puzzle release). Those with lower total time will be ranked higher. For each difficulty track, this time accumulates for every puzzle solved. In simple terms, in the case of a tie, the faster you solve the puzzles, the better your ranking will be.
Can I get hints?
Hints for each puzzle are provided within the prompt. While there are no consequences to unlocking each hint, if you do find that puzzles are getting too easy to solve, we encourage you to try the puzzles without looking at the hints. On the other hand, if you're still stuck even after looking at the hints, feel free to reach out or discuss with other players on the ACM Discord.
Are there prizes? How many winners will there be?
There are prizes! Amazon gift cards will be awarded for both easy track and hard track. The top 3 for the hard track will each receive a prize, and the top 3 for the easy track, excluding those who have already received prizes for hard track, will also each receive a prize.
When will winners be announced?
Winners will be announced at the beginning of Winter Quarter 2023.
Can I work on a team?
Unfortunately, no. Each participant is expected to submit their own work, but you are welcome to collaborate if you so choose.
The website doesn't work for me :(
We're really sorry about that. Please reach out to an officer on Discord and we'll try to fix it ASAP. That being said, we're students just like you, so please give us some time while we get back to you.