Mind A-Mazes 2026

For small objects like beans or shattered glove pieces that happen to fall out of the 1 meter size limit of the device, judges will not disqualify a team or give them a zero for those small pieces that may have ended up outside the 1 meter cube (after the device has completed its run)! 🙂  So if you happen to ‘spill the beans’ and they fall outside the 1 meter size limit of your device, that is acceptable.

The purpose of rule B1 is to keep the main device and it’s ‘parts’ within 1 meter (such as judges checking for length and height of whole device before triggering, or any levers, arms, or parts of the device falling off or out of the 1 meter area after the device has finished running).  Although shattered glove pieces may land outside the 1 meter size restriction, the inflated glove should be within the 1 meter cube area size limit before triggering!

Yes, 2 tasks can happen at the same time and still earn points, as long as other rules or requirements for the challenge and tasks are followed.  One of these includes that the device will be triggered by one member.

*Please be sure to clearly explain how your device is intended to work to your judges BEFORE demonstrating it (triggered by one team member) so judges know what to look for and where to look for it on the device.   Teams only get one chance to trigger their device!

Yes, more than one simple machine being used at the same time may earn points, but make sure that the simple machines are following rule B6:

6. Simple machines a team wants to get points for using must be directly
connected to the attempted completion of one of the machine’s ‘tasks’. For
example, an inclined plane used as part of a sequence to attempt to complete a task can
earn points, but an inclined plane that is used but doesn’t directly lead to or assist in the
attempted completion of a task will not earn points.

So if a simple machine is being used, but does not lead to the attempted completion of one of the machine’s 6 tasks, that simple machine would not earn points.

*It’s very important to share your device plans with judges prior to triggering your device!  Judges want to know what to look for (what simple machines are being used and what machine tasks are being attempted), where to look for them, and thereby can check if rule B6 is being followed.

Remember the C6 timing rule!  Once the glove pops (even if it does so earlier than expected), all timing and scoring by judges will stop!

So if you’re trying to include a ‘glove pop’ task, make sure it’s near the end of your reaction, since no points will be awarded after the glove burst!

See Competition C6 rule:

6. Timing will end the moment one of the following
occurs:
a. your device stops (expectedly or unexpectedly)
b. one minute has elapsed
c. your inflated non-latex glove pops

No, after the team triggers the device, no team member may be holding or touching the device while it’s running. See Rule B8:

The device must be triggered by one team member. After initial triggering,
no team member may touch the device until the device has run its course.

Yes, parts may be created for devices using a 3D printer.

This action would count as a screw simple machine, not a wedge, if it was TURNING into the glove to pop it!  If the screw did not turn, but simply went straight into the glove to pop it, that action would count as a wedge, not a screw simple machine.  So remember to use rotational motion if you’re trying to get screw points! 🙂

*Remember that getting screw simple machine points may only be achieved if the screw is acting in a simple machine manner-  What does this mean?

A screw acts as a simple machine by converting rotational motion (twisting) into linear motion (straight-line movement).

The screw needs to used in a rotating manner to accomplish a task.   A screw used to hold together your device would not count.  A screw shape in your device used for something to slide down would count as an inclined plane, not a screw.  A screw that rotated INTO something to cause a reaction to occur could count as a simple machine screw.  See associated blog question on screw/glove too!

Yes!

At least 10 beans need to be spilled, which means they come entirely out of the container used!

*More than 10 beans may be spilled, but judges need to be able to count at least 10 which have completely come out of the container used.

Yes!  The fan blade used does not need to be a manufactured fan blade, but could be made by a team.

Just make sure they judges can recognize it as a fan blade!  *Also, a fan blade just needs to noticeably move in order to receive points, it doesn’t need to spin many revolutions! 🙂