A cube per person in comps?

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Oct 31, 2013
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WCA ID
2014GOPA01
My friend and I have enrolled for a cubing competition in early January. A small problem is that her cube is stickerless. So effectively we have only one cube for the competition. I know that competitors must take their own puzzles according to WCA rules, but does it mean that each competitor must have their own cube? There is the option of buying a cube, but turns out that isn't possible.

This is my first competition, so I don't really know.

Btw, I'm not sure where this thread needs to go, so I decided to post it here.
 
No, it does not mean that each competitor must own the puzzles he/she competes with. It's not uncommon to borrow/share puzzles to compete with at competitions.

If you're both using the same cube, you should let the organizer(s) know in advance, in case you're both in the same 3x3x3 heat.
 
I believe most people at competitons have more than one 3x3 with them. It's absolutely no problem to borrow one from somone in a different group, I sometimes do that when I find a cube that is better than mine ;)
 
3a) Competitors must provide their own puzzles for the competition.


It does say this rule in 3a, but many delegates have allowed puzzles to be shared for use as long as they would come up at a different time.

EDIT: If the other competitor ONLY has one puzzle.

There should be puzzles for rent xD
 
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3a) Competitors must provide their own puzzles for the competition.


It does say this rule in 3a, but many delegates have allowed puzzles to be shared for use as long as they would come up at a different time.

3a++) CLARIFICATION Competitors may borrow puzzles from other competitors privately, to use in competition.
 
3a) Competitors must provide their own puzzles for the competition.
It does say this rule in 3a, but many delegates have allowed puzzles to be shared for use as long as they would come up at a different time.

The rule is fine as it is. It doesn't say you have to own the cube, just provide it.
 
Just let the organizers know which two people are using the same cube and should not be in the same heat together (so the competition doesn't have to stop because someone hasn't submitted their cube yet).
Or you could see if you could borrow someone else's cubes. Most people will let you to borrow their cube if you promise to give it back without destroying it or something.

Pretty sure 3a is supposed to mean you need to provide a competition legal cube to use for the round when they need the cube. You don't necessarily have to own the cube.
 
Note that the guidelines cover this carefully:
3a++) CLARIFICATION Competitors may borrow puzzles from other competitors privately, to use in competition.
3a1+) CLARIFICATION Competitors may be disqualified if they do not come when they are called, or if they do not have a puzzle ready to submit (e.g. if they planned to use a puzzle that another competitor is currently using, and therefore cannot submit their puzzle at the moment).
A number of organizers / delegates have indicated that they would disqualify competitors without hesitation if they did not have a puzzle ready to submit because they were counting on borrowing it from someone else. The point those delegates / organizers are trying to make is that it is NOT the responsibility of the organizer or delegate to rearrange heats so as to allow two people to share a puzzle.

I generally try to make accommodations at competitions I run, but the rules definitely don't require such accommodations to be met.

For WC this year, I went out and bought a third pyraminx so both my daughters who were competing in it could have one of their own. In the past, they've always been allowed to share, but at US Nationals the previous year we almost got in trouble for it. (I'm sure if it had come down to it, I would have taken the DQ so they could both compete, but fortunately they allowed it.)
 
Short answer: Contact the competition organizers before the competition- both to ask them if it would be okay and also to give them a chance to make any adjustments to heats if they are willing to help.
 
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