OM Basics
This creative problem-solving competition is often abbreviated OM.
What is Odyssey of the Mind?
This category requires teams to build cars powered by mousetraps, rubber bands, or other propulsion.
What is the Vehicle Problem?
The Style portion of a long-term solution is worth this many points.
What is 50?
OMers call their creative parade at World Finals by this name.
What is Opening Ceremonies / the Creativity Parade?
This man founded Odyssey of the Mind in 1978.
Who is Sam Micklus?
Teams must solve one of these challenges without any preparation.
What are spontaneous problems?
Teams in this category invent gadgets, contraptions, or machines.
What is the Technical Problem?
The Spontaneous portion of the score is worth this many points.
What is 100?
What is the OM mascot?
What is a raccoon?
OM was founded in this decade.
What are the 1970s?
Teams can be penalized for breaking rules, unsafe devices, or going over this presentation limit.
What is the time limit?
In this category, teams reimagine myths or classic stories like The Odyssey.
What is the Classics Problem?
The Long-Term portion of the score is worth this many points.
What is 200?
OM mascots and volunteers are famous for wearing these wacky accessories.
What are silly hats?
OM originally began at this New Jersey university.
What is Rowan University (Glassboro State College)?
This part of the score rewards imaginative, unusual, or unexpected touches in a performance.
What is Style?
This problem tests how much weight a tiny balsa wood structure can hold.
What is the Structure Problem?
The maximum number of team members allowed on stage at once.
What is seven?
At spontaneous competitions, each team member may give one of these before passing to the next.
What is a response?
This corporation split from OM in 1999 and helped form Destination Imagination.
What is 3M?
At World Finals, students from around the world trade these collectibles.
What are pins?
This problem is the most skit-based, with humor and storytelling at its center.
What is the Performance Problem?
Balsa wood structures are tested using this flat board.
What is the crusher board?
Teams often bring these small pins designed by their state or region to trade.
What are trading pins?
This U.S. state, home to Michigan State University, has hosted OM World Finals multiple times.
What is Michigan?