Mind A-Mazes 2023

Yes, teams may use magnets in this year’s challenge.

No remote controls, manufactured motors, battery power, fire, CO2 cartridges, gases, explosives, animal power, liquids, human power, or other forms of electricity.

You could use another object, such as another bob, to hit the official bob, just as long as the ‘official’ bob is causing each event to happen.  An event caused by a chain reaction, not directly caused by the official ‘bob’ pendulum, will not be awarded points.  Teams may be creative in pursuing how to keep the official bob moving, as long as they follow the rules of the challenge and any blog clarifications.

Yes, but only one ‘official’ pendulum bob will be the one attempting the tasks.  So you may have multiple pendulum ‘bobs’ swinging while your device runs, but only ONE of those pendulums is the ‘official’ pendulum and bob that judges will be observing and scoring tasks it completes.   If a team has multiple pendulums, they need to let their judges know which one is the ‘official’ pendulum that will be attempting some tasks.

Yes.

Yes, the material teams use to make a drawing upon can vary, as long as judges can observe the created drawing and that teams don’t create any mess or clean-up issue on the gym floor (see Competition – #1 in packet) – 1 minute cleanup time is also important to remember.

Not exactly sure what you may mean.  The standard ‘Mind A-Mazes’ rule (bold – side 2 of packet at bottom) states that ‘no electricity, manufactured motors, battery power, remote control, etc.’ may be used by teams.  Also, once a device has been triggered by one team member, no one on the team may interfere with the device’s operation after that point.   Please check with your coach or send another question to the blog if this didn’t answer your question.

Any observable object (you can be creative!) that is directly picked up by the pendulum would count as a ‘pick up’.  Judges need to be able to see that an object (not originally part of the pendulum bob prior to triggering) was picked up, at least for an observable period of time.  If an object is picked up and then later dropped (intentionally or accidentally), judges may still count that task as completed (if that task or event was intended to be scored for that swing), just as long as the dropped object doesn’t roll or land outside of the 4 ft x 4ft device space on the gym floor.  The only exception to this rule is the popped latex glove.  See Rule 3

Yes, you can attach things to the washer, as long as judges can still see the official ‘bob’ washer.  In other words, don’t bury it below so many materials that judges can’t see it or tell what it is.

*Also, be sure the bob washer (including things attached to it) is directly causing events to happen.  So even a pen or needle attached an inch above the washer (such as on a string) wouldn’t be considered part of the bob.  They’d need to be directly attached to the bob to be considered part of it.  Good question!

Yes and no.  Yes, multiple tasks can take place on each swing.  But you will only be scored for distinct events (or tasks) on each swing – each task must be accomplished as an event on separate ‘swings’ of the pendulum.  For example, if your pendulum bob rings a bell on its first ‘swing’, but also makes a drawing, only 1 of those 2 tasks will be scored by judges.

This is why it’s important for the team to provide judges with a list, drawing, and/or verbal explanation of what intended actions of the device they hope to accomplish on each swing.  In that way, judges will have a better feel for what to not only LOOK for on each swing, but also what tasks to SCORE on each swing.

No – you do not have to attempt a task on each swing.