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Contest format

Eolymp supports both IOI and ICPC formats, each with distinct ways of ranking and displaying the scoreboard. You can choose the desired format in the Format field, when creating a contest and cannot change it afterward.

IOI (International Olympiad in Informatics)

The IOI format is used in competitions like the International Olympiad in Informatics, which is aimed at high school students. In IOI, the scoreboard is based on the sum of points earned for each problem. Participants score points by solving problems, and points may be awarded even for partial solutions. For example, some problems are divided into subtasks or groups of tests, and participants can earn points for correctly solving individual parts of a problem. This format encourages incremental problem-solving, allowing participants to score even if they don’t fully solve a problem. The final ranking is determined by the total points earned across all problems.

This approach emphasizes precision and encourages participants to maximize the number of tests passed, making it ideal for scenarios where partial solutions are valuable.

IOI scoreboard

Fig 1. Scoreboard for IOI style contest

ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest)

The ICPC format is used in competitions like the International Collegiate Programming Contest, which targets university students. In ICPC, the scoreboard ranks teams based on the number of problems they solve completely. Only fully correct solutions earn points, so partial solutions do not count.

Additionally, participants are penalized based on time. The penalty system involves two key elements:

  1. Time Penalty: The time it takes to solve a problem is counted from the start of the contest, meaning faster solutions result in fewer penalty minutes.

  2. Attempt Penalty: For each incorrect submission on a problem, teams receive an additional penalty (typically 20 minutes per failed attempt), but this penalty is only applied if the problem is eventually solved.

The team with the most problems solved ranks higher, and in the event of a tie, the team with fewer penalty minutes is ranked higher. This format emphasizes problem-solving under pressure and rewards efficiency and accuracy, making it well-suited for fast-paced, head-to-head competitions where fully correct solutions are critical.

ICPC scoreboard

Fig 2. Scoreboard for ICPC style contest

In summary, the IOI format is more forgiving, allowing partial credit, while the ICPC format is stricter, rewarding only full solutions with an added focus on speed and accuracy.