International Collegiate Programming Contest

Introduction

The International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) is a multi-tier, team-based, programming competition. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious programming contests in the world. The contest is open to university students from around the world. The contest is a great opportunity for students to showcase their programming skills and compete against other students from around the world.

Levels of Competition

  • Local Contests

  • Regional Contests

  • Reginal Championships

  • World Finals

Contest Format

  • Teams of three students

  • Five-hour contest

  • 8-12 problems

  • In C, C++, Java, Python 3, or Kotlin

ICPC at UWF

  • Hosted by the CS department and assisted by the ACM student chapter

  • Participated in the Southeast USA Regional Contest

  • UWF Teams have performed well in D2 in the past

Important Dates

  • Registration: 9/19-11/3, 2025

  • Contest: Nov. 8, 2025

ICPC Resources

ICPC Preparation Resources

ICPC Strategy

  1. Contest Workflow and Strategy

The overarching goal is to maximize the number of problems solved while minimizing time penalties.

  • Problem Reading (The Start):

    • The team should skim the entire problem set in parallel (e.g., one person reads from the front, one from the back) to quickly identify the easiest problems (the “low-hanging fruit”).

    • The quickest typist should simultaneously set up the code template and compilation script on the computer.

  • Prioritization: Solve the easy problems first. Look at the scoreboard periodically—if many other teams have solved a problem, it’s likely easy and should be a high priority.

  • Discussion and Verification: If a solution is unclear or stuck, discuss it with a teammate. Explaining the problem aloud can often reveal the flaw in the logic.

  • The Tester Role: A dedicated team member should be ready to generate tricky and edge test cases (e.g., maximum constraints, zero/one inputs) while the coder is implementing the solution.

  • Endgame Strategy: As time runs out (e.g., the last hour), shift from working on separate problems to focusing all effort on one or two high-priority problems. This may involve one person coding while others proofread the code and generate final test cases.

  1. Coding and Debugging Practices

Efficiency at the keyboard and avoiding costly mistakes are paramount.

  • Write on Paper First: For complex algorithms, write out the core logic or pseudocode on paper before going to the computer. This saves precious computer time and helps prevent off-by-one or boundary errors.

  • Use a Code Library/Template: Have a well-tested personal library of common algorithms (e.g., graph algorithms, data structures, geometric primitives) and a boilerplate code template ready to use.

  • Debugging on Paper: Avoid debugging on the computer terminal with print statements. If a bug is elusive, print out the code and the debugging output and find the error by manually tracing the execution on paper.

  • Automated Testing: Use a script to automatically run your code against all local test cases (sample and custom-made) to ensure consistency and speed.

  • Language Choice: Stick with the language you are most confident in (usually C++ or Java). All team members should use similar coding conventions to make reading and debugging each other’s code easier.

  1. Preparation and Team Dynamics

Success in ICPC is built long before the contest starts.

  • Practice Together: Train often as a team to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses and to refine your collective strategy and time-sharing at the single computer.

  • Upsolving: After every practice contest, upsolve (solve the problems you missed). This is the best way to learn new techniques and solidify algorithmic knowledge.

  • Study Algorithms: Systematically study core and advanced algorithms, focusing on data structures (Segment Trees, Tries, Fenwick Trees), graph algorithms (Dijkstra’s, MST, Max Flow), dynamic programming, and number theory.

  • Health and Focus: Ensure you are well-rested and hydrated during the contest. Taking a quick walk or a short break can often help clear the mind when stuck on a tough problem.