What do you need to do?

 

To find out how to register and take part read the rest of this article, and the info on the rules page. You can find out more on the resources page too.

To take part you will need to register for the competition on our registration page. This will be open from September 14th, and you will need to provide the following information:

• Username: This will be the name you use to log on to the site to post comments, and also to submit your entries, check feedback and to print your certificate. Choose something memorable. You can share this info among the team, but do not let anyone else have it as they can use it to pose as you!
• Password: Again this is for logging on. Choose it carefully and keep it secret to the team.
• Email address: This will be used to confirm your registration so it must be an active account you can check. We can only associate one email account to each team, so it might be an idea to set up an account (with Gmail or some other free provider) that the whole team can use for the competition. If we need to contact you this is how we will do it so add the account This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to the account address book to avoid sending our emails to your junk mail bin, make sure the account is not too full, and check it regularly.
• Team name: This will be used on the downloadable certificates and the leader boards to identify you. Try to choose something interesting but tasteful. (We reserve the right to refuse offensive names!)
• Team members for the web: Enter your names as you wish them to appear on the leader board. If you wish to remain anonymous online then leave this blank or use a nickname that does not identify you.
• Team members for the certificates: These are your names as you wish them to appear on the downloadable certificates and will not be used publically without your permission.
• Number in team: While we could be clever and write a script to try and compute the number in the team from the info about team member names this is not very accurate and far too much work, so please tell us how many of you are in the team so we get some idea of how many are taking part!
• Teacher contact: Give the name of a teacher we can write to if we need to check anything. You should get their permission first! We don't usually do this unless you win a prize. If you are home schooled give us a parent or carer's name here and write home schooled in the school name field. You will still need to give us contact details in the address fields below.
• School name: Again we will use this on the certificates and the leader boards so spell it right, and if it is a common name (like King Edward's) add a location (King Edward's, Southampton) to identify it.
• School address: If you win a prize this is how we will get it to you, so it is important that you get this right. We collect the postcode separately so we can easily map the participants to give us some idea of the spread of entries.
• School postcode: See above. We also use this to plot your school on the map on the front page. Click on it to see who else in your neighbourhood is taking part, or zoom out to see just how big the Cipher Challenge community is!

 

It is possible to join several peoples' accounts to a single team, and we will explain how in the email you will receive after registering. If you don't get the email within a day then you have probably mis-spelt your email address or our mail is being trapped by your spam filters. Check both and if you still have no luck then get in touch.