--- title: "Bebras Challenge Practice (USA 2026): Format, Scoring, Puzzles" description: "Bebras Challenge practice for the USA 2026 challenge, November 9 to 20: age groups, the 45-minute format, how scoring works and original thinking puzzles." canonical: https://learn.modernagecoders.com/bebras-challenge-practice source: src/pages/bebras-challenge-practice.html --- > Bebras Challenge practice for the USA 2026 challenge, November 9 to 20: age groups, the 45-minute format, how scoring works and original thinking puzzles. In short The USA Bebras Computing Challenge is a free, 45-minute online contest in computational thinking for students aged 6 to 18, held in schools; in 2026 it runs from November 9 to 20. A teacher or homeschool parent signs up as coordinator. No study is required, but puzzle practice builds the thinking it rewards. Our live online course, Problem Solving and Computational Thinking for Kids, teaches exactly that, with a group of 15 to 20 or one to one, and a free trial lesson. Thinking, then code ## Three courses that grow the thinking Bebras rewards Each one teaches children to break a problem down, spot the pattern and plan the steps before acting. [![Problem Solving and Computational Thinking for Kids course thumbnail](/images/problem-solving-kids.webp) BCP / 01 Problem solving and computational thinking Logic, patterns and algorithms for ages 8 to 14. Open the syllabus →](/courses/problem-solving-and-computational-thinking-for-kids)[![Reasoning and Readiness for Young Thinkers (Ages 6 to 9) course thumbnail](/images/reasoning-readiness-young-thinkers.webp) BCP / 02 Young thinkers, 6 to 9 For Kits and Castors: patterns and spatial play. Open the syllabus →](/courses/reasoning-and-readiness-course-for-young-thinkers)[![Python and AI for Kids course thumbnail](/images/python-kids.webp) BCP / 03 Python and AI for kids Turn the puzzle ideas into real programs. Open the syllabus →](/courses/python-ai-kids-masterclass) Bebras USA ## What is the Bebras Computing Challenge in the USA? It is a short, free online challenge of computational thinking tasks, taken at school under a teacher's supervision. It is part of an international initiative; bebras.org describes its organization as the "organizer of the International Challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking". ### From the US organizer For this year the US organizer gives a two-week window, November 9 to 20, 2026, and its home page stresses two things: entry costs nothing, and children need no special preparation or study to tackle the tasks. Students aged 6 to 18 get 45 minutes "to complete as many tasks as they can, they are not expected to finish them all." The site adds that the worldwide Bebras week for task solving "occurs during the second week of November." ### What computational thinking means here The organizer describes computational thinking as problem-solving skills that software engineers apply in programming, and lists "breaking down complex tasks, algorithm design, pattern recognition, generalization, and abstraction". No coding is needed to take part. The tasks are short puzzles that use those ideas, which is why a child who has never programmed can still do well. | Step | Who | What the organizer says | | --- | --- | --- | | 1. Register | Teacher or homeschool parent | Register as a coordinator; approval "may take 1-3 business days" | | 2. Enter students | Coordinator | Creates a log-in for each student | | 3. Set up devices | School | An internet connection and computers or tablets with Windows, Mac or Linux | | 4. Run the challenge | Teacher supervises | On one of the ten school days of the challenge weeks; 45 minutes each | | 5. Results | Coordinator | Downloads certificates with each score; solutions go online afterward | Homeschool families can take part: the registration page asks a homeschool teacher to "select a distinctive name for your homeschool (e.g., Home School [initials], Home School [number], etc.)". Students cannot register themselves; their teacher or parent coordinator does it. Sources: [USA Bebras Computing Challenge](https://www.bebraschallenge.org/) (home, Students, Teachers, Registration and Examples pages) and [bebras.org](https://www.bebras.org/), read 31 October 2026. Bebras is a registered trademark of its owner. Modern Age Coders is not connected with Bebras USA, the international Bebras organization or any school. Age groups ## Which Bebras age group is my child in, and how many tasks are there? Bebras USA has six age categories, each with its own tasks split into easy, medium and hard. The youngest groups get fewer tasks in the same 45 minutes. | Bebras group | Age band | Task mix by difficulty | Typical US grades (our rough guide) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Kits | Ages 6 to 8 | Three easy, three medium, three hard | Grades 1 to 2 | | Castors | Ages 8 to 10 | Four of each difficulty | Grades 3 to 4 | | Benjamins | Ages 10 to 12 | Five of each difficulty | Grades 5 to 6 | | Cadets | Ages 12 to 14 | Five of each difficulty | Grades 7 to 8 | | Juniors | Ages 14 to 16 | Five of each difficulty | Grades 9 to 10 | | Seniors | Ages 16 to 18 | Five of each difficulty | Grades 11 to 12 | ### Reading the table From Benjamins up, the students page describes the familiar format: "You get 15 multiple-choice questions and the maximum score is 180." The Kits and Castors groups have fewer tasks, so there is more time for each one. Ages overlap at the edges (8 appears for both Kits and Castors). The coordinator places each student; when in doubt, ask the teacher which group they chose. ### On the day The students page says "You will participate online in your own school building. A teacher will supervise and it will take 45 minutes." It also says "you can use pen, paper and any calculator you want". That pen-and-paper permission matters. Many tasks become easy once you draw the situation, and children who sketch tend to make fewer slips. Scoring ## How is the Bebras Challenge scored, and should you guess? Every student starts with 45 points. Right answers add points, wrong answers take some away, and a blank costs nothing. That design changes how a sensible student should treat a question she cannot solve. | Category | Tasks | Correct | No answer | Incorrect | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | A (easier) | 5 | +6 | 0 | -2 | | B (medium) | 5 | +9 | 0 | -3 | | C (harder) | 5 | +12 | 0 | -4 | | Starting score | | 45 | | | ### Why start at 45? (our arithmetic) If a student answered all 15 questions wrongly she would lose 5 x 2 + 5 x 3 + 5 x 4 = 10 + 15 + 20 = 45 points. Starting at 45 means the lowest possible score is exactly 0, never negative. The published maximum is 180. In each category the penalty is one third of the reward: 2 of 6, 3 of 9, 4 of 12. That ratio is what makes the guessing question interesting. ### To guess or not (our arithmetic) Suppose a question has four choices and you have no idea. A blind guess in category A is right one time in four: on average 6 / 4 - 2 x 3 / 4 = 1.5 - 1.5 = 0. Guessing blind gains nothing on average, in every category. Now rule out one choice. With three left, category A averages 6 / 3 - 2 x 2 / 3 = 2/3 of a point, B averages 1 point, and C averages 4/3. So: skip what you cannot touch, but guess once you can eliminate even one answer. Scoring rules from the [Bebras USA Students page](https://bebraschallenge.org/students/), read 31 October 2026. The four-choice assumption and the averages are our own calculations, checked with exact fractions in Python; the number of choices can differ from task to task. A puzzle ## What does a computational thinking puzzle look like? A worked example Here is an original puzzle of ours about a stack, one of the most useful ideas in computer science. It is not a Bebras task and does not imitate one; it simply uses the same kind of thinking. ### The puzzle (ours) Three rail cars, numbered 1, 2 and 3, arrive from the right in that order. Each car can either roll straight on to the left track or back into a short dead-end siding. A car can only leave the siding if it is the one nearest the exit, so the last car in is the first car out. The left track must end up with the cars in a chosen order. Which of the six possible orders can be made? One of them cannot. Which, and why? ### The reasoning Try 3, 1, 2. To send car 3 first, cars 1 and 2 must both wait in the siding, with car 2 nearest the exit. The next car out of the siding must therefore be 2, not 1. So 3, 1, 2 is impossible. Every other order works. For 2, 3, 1: park 1, send 2, send 3, then release 1. Five of the six orders are possible. Our Python check below confirms it, and for four cars it finds 14 possible orders out of 24. ***siding.py (ours)**Python* ``` # siding.py (ours): which orders can three rail cars leave in, using one dead-end siding? from itertools import permutations def possible(order, n): siding, next_car = [], 1 for wanted in order: # push cars into the siding until the wanted car is on top while (not siding or siding[-1] != wanted) and next_car <= n: siding.append(next_car) next_car += 1 if siding and siding[-1] == wanted: siding.pop() # the top car leaves first: last in, first out else: return False return True for order in permutations([1, 2, 3]): print(order, possible(order, 3)) ``` Run by us with Python 3: every order prints True except (3, 1, 2), which prints False. 1. **Draw it.** Sketch the tracks and move numbered scraps of paper. A puzzle that is hard in your head is often easy on paper. 2. **Name the rule.** "Last in, first out" is the whole puzzle. Computer scientists call a structure with this rule a stack. 3. **Look for the blocker.** An order fails when a smaller car is trapped behind a bigger one that has to leave later. 4. **Generalize.** Ask what happens with four cars. Generalization is one of the skills the organizer names. Practice ## How can my child practice for Bebras without drilling? Try the organizer's own practice challenge once to meet the format, then spend the rest of the time on varied puzzles and a little code. The Examples page itself says there is "no need to prepare", only to get a feel for the style. | Puzzle | Idea | Answer | | --- | --- | --- | | Five lamps are worth 16, 8, 4, 2 and 1. Which lamps are on to show 13? | Binary: biggest first | 8, 4 and 1 | | Shapes go circle, square, square, circle, square, square ... What is the 20th? | Pattern of length 3; 20 leaves remainder 2 | Square | | Roads: A to B 2, B to C 1, C to D 2, A to C 4, B to D 5. Shortest A to D? | Compare every route | 5, via B and C | | Cards read 3, 1, 2. Swapping only neighbors, fewest swaps to reach 1, 2, 3? | Count pairs out of order | 2 | | With four rail cars and one siding, how many leaving orders are possible? | The stack rule again | 14 of 24 | 1. **Weeks 1 to 2 (ours).** Patterns and sequences: repeating shapes, number patterns, spotting the rule. 2. **Weeks 3 to 4.** Algorithms: following and writing step-by-step instructions, shortest routes, sorting cards by hand. 3. **Week 5.** Data and abstraction: binary lamps, maps that keep only what matters, stacks and queues. 4. **Week 6.** Try the official practice challenge from the Examples page once, timed, then talk through what was hard. Rest before the real day. Taking Bebras in another country? See our [UK Bebras guide](/bebras-computational-thinking-challenge-practice-uk) or our [Bebras Australia guide](/bebras-challenge-australia-practice). For the whole US season of contests, see the [US competitions calendar](/us-coding-math-and-ai-competitions-calendar). Where your child is ## Four stages of puzzle thinking Our own description of how children grow as problem solvers. | Stage | What it looks like | | --- | --- | | 1. Guesses | Picks the answer that looks right without testing it | | 2. Tries cases | Tests choices one at a time until one works | | 3. Finds the rule | Spots the constraint that rules choices out quickly | | 4. Explains and extends | Can say why an answer must be right, and what happens with bigger cases | ### For parents Stage 2 is a fine place to be at age 8. The step to stage 3 comes from talking about puzzles, not from doing more of them silently. Ask "how do you know?" more often than "what is the answer?". ### For students If a puzzle feels stuck, draw it, or try the smallest version first: two cars before three. A blank costs nothing in Bebras. Come back to hard questions at the end. The catalogue ## Thinking, math and coding courses for ages 6 to 18 Live courses that build logic first and code second, for every Bebras age group. I ### Kits and Castors Ages 6 to 10 BCP / K / 01 #### Reasoning and readiness Patterns and spatial play. [Open the syllabus](/courses/reasoning-and-readiness-course-for-young-thinkers) BCP / K / 02 #### Scratch coding Algorithms in blocks. [Open the syllabus](/courses/scratch-programming-complete-course) BCP / K / 03 #### Mental math Quick number sense. [Open the syllabus](/courses/mental-maths-mastery-kids)II ### Benjamins and Cadets Ages 10 to 14 BCP / B / 01 #### Problem solving Logic and algorithms. [Open the syllabus](/courses/problem-solving-and-computational-thinking-for-kids) BCP / B / 02 #### Math through coding Puzzles in Python. [Open the syllabus](/courses/maths-through-coding) BCP / B / 03 #### Math competitions MATHCOUNTS and AMC 8. [Open the syllabus](/courses/middle-school-math-competitions-course)III ### Juniors and Seniors Ages 14 to 18 BCP / S / 01 #### Python for teens Beginner to advanced. [Open the syllabus](/courses/python-complete-masterclass-teens) BCP / S / 02 #### Java for teens Classes and data structures. [Open the syllabus](/courses/java-programming-masterclass-for-teens) BCP / S / 03 #### Olympiad math AMC and beyond. [Open the syllabus](/courses/olympiad-competition-mathematics-mastery) How lessons run ## Live problem-solving lessons, any time of the school year Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Weekdays After school, one puzzle theme per lesson. Weekends Longer sessions mixing puzzles and code. 1-on-1 For a child who wants more stretch. ### Think aloud Students explain, not just answer. ### Draw first Sketching is taught as a skill. ### Puzzles we wrote Never copied contest tasks. ### Then code it Ideas become small programs. ### No prize promises We teach thinking; results are theirs. ### Batch or private Fifteen to twenty, or one to one. Student work ## What our young problem solvers build Puzzle games and first programs made in our classes. More in [student labs](/student-labs). ![NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot](/images/projects/nutrilife.webp) AI and ML #### NutriLife An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target. by Bhavya · [Open it](https://nutrilife-bhavya.lovable.app) ![Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot](/images/projects/misti.webp) AI and ML #### Misti A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student. by Harshit · [Open it](https://misti.modernagecoders.com) ![GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot](/images/projects/guardianx.webp) AI and ML #### GuardianX An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online. by Vivaan · [Open it](https://guardianx-cybersaver.lovable.app) ![SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot](/images/projects/skycast.webp) Web app #### SkyCast A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location. by Krish Fees ## Fees Problem-solving lessons are billed monthly with nothing locked in, so a family can try a term of puzzles around challenge season and carry on only if it is useful. Free first class USD 0 no card required - A free first class - A puzzle-based trial - No card details Book it Group batch USD 100 a month, billed in US dollars - Fifteen to twenty learners - A steady teacher - Choose a batch time - Monthly Start here One to one USD 150 a month, billed in US dollars - A private teacher - Paced to your child - Flexible scheduling Enquire What families say ## Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews Parents' Google reviews, shown as written. ★★★★★ "The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content." Ria Mukherjee Parent ★★★★★ "Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease." Samriddha Mondal Student ★★★★★ "One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development." Vansh Agarwal Student ★★★★★ "My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative." Sonam Oswal Parent of Dhairya ★★★★★ "Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation." Sonu Goyal Parent ★★★★★ "I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding." Ritu Kedia Parent Questions from families ## Bebras Challenge practice: questions answered ### When is the Bebras Challenge 2026 in the USA? The USA Bebras site says the 2026 challenge is scheduled for November 9 to 20, 2026. Schools choose one of the ten school days in that window to run it. ### How do you prepare for the Bebras Challenge? The organizer says no preparation or studying is needed. The useful step is trying the official practice challenge once to meet the format, plus regular logic puzzles that build pattern spotting, step-by-step planning and abstraction. ### How long is the Bebras Challenge? It lasts 45 minutes. Students try as many tasks as they can, and the organizer says they are not expected to finish them all. ### How is Bebras scored? Every student starts with 45 points. Easier A tasks give 6 points for a right answer and take 2 for a wrong one, B tasks give 9 or take 3, C tasks give 12 or take 4, and a blank scores 0. The students page gives a maximum of 180. ### Should my child guess on Bebras? By our own calculation, a blind guess among four choices gains nothing on average because of the penalty. Once one choice can be ruled out, guessing becomes worthwhile on average, so leave blanks only where nothing can be eliminated. ### Is the Bebras Challenge free? Yes. The USA Bebras site says participating in the challenge is free. ### Can homeschoolers take part in Bebras? Yes. A homeschool parent registers as a coordinator, and the registration page asks for a distinctive name such as Home School followed by your initials. Approval may take 1 to 3 business days. ### Which Bebras group is for a 9-year-old? Bebras USA lists Castors for ages 8 to 10, with four easy, four medium and four hard tasks. The coordinator makes the final placement. ### What times are your classes? Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. ### Are you connected with Bebras? No. We are an independent online school with no link to Bebras USA or the international Bebras organization. Our puzzles are our own, and we never reproduce Bebras tasks. Elsewhere on this site ## Related pages More contests and thinking skills for US students. ### [US competitions calendar](/us-coding-math-and-ai-competitions-calendar) Every 2026 to 2027 date in one place. ### [Coding competitions for middle school](/coding-competitions-for-middle-school-students) What comes after Bebras. ### [Math Kangaroo USA](/math-kangaroo-usa-preparation) Another friendly first contest. ### [Computer science extracurriculars](/computer-science-extracurriculars) Clubs, contests and projects. ### [Coding for elementary students](/coding-classes-for-elementary-students) Algorithms for young learners. ### [Bebras in the UK](/bebras-computational-thinking-challenge-practice-uk) The UK challenge and its follow-on round. ## Related pages in this guide Part of the guide: [US math and coding competitions guide](/us-math-and-coding-competitions-guide) ### Coding and robotics - [FIRST LEGO League coding help](/first-lego-league-coding-help-usa) - [FTC programming help](/ftc-programming-help) - [VEX IQ programming help](/vex-iq-programming-help) - [Science Olympiad coding events help](/science-olympiad-coding-events-help) - [ACSL competition preparation](/acsl-competition-preparation) - [Coding competitions for middle school students](/coding-competitions-for-middle-school-students) - [Coding competitions for high school students](/coding-competitions-for-high-school-students) ### Math contests - [MOEMS math olympiad preparation](/moems-math-olympiad-preparation) - [Noetic math contest preparation](/noetic-math-contest-preparation) - [Math League contest preparation](/math-league-contest-preparation) - [Continental Math League preparation](/continental-math-league-preparation) - [Math competitions for middle school students](/math-competitions-for-middle-school-students) - [Online math circle for kids](/online-math-circle-for-kids) - [Art of Problem Solving alternative](/art-of-problem-solving-alternative) ### Projects and next steps - [ISEF computer science project mentoring](/isef-computer-science-project-mentoring) - [Girls Who Code next step](/girls-who-code-next-step) - [After the Hour of Code](/after-hour-of-code-next-steps) - [US competitions calendar 2026-27](/us-coding-math-and-ai-competitions-calendar) More guides: [US state math tests by state](/us-state-math-tests-by-state) · [US gifted and selective school tests](/us-gifted-and-selective-school-tests-guide) · [US math placement and college readiness tests](/us-math-placement-and-college-readiness-tests) · [Homeschool and school math curricula guide](/homeschool-math-curriculum-guide-usa) Start here ## Book a free problem-solving class Tell us your child's age and which Bebras group they are in. The teacher will start with a puzzle at the right level and see how they think. You may want to look at [the way we teach](/how-we-teach) or the full [course list](/courses) first. [WhatsApp us](https://wa.me/919123366161?text=Hello%20Modern%20Age%20Coders%2C%20my%20child%20in%20the%20US%20is%20taking%20part%20in%20the%20Bebras%20Challenge%20and%20loves%20logic%20puzzles.%20Could%20we%20book%20a%20free%20first%20class%3F) · [+91 91233 66161](tel:+919123366161) · [connect@modernagecoders.com](mailto:connect@modernagecoders.com) Lessons are live on video, taught from India, at hours that fit US time zones. Send us a WhatsApp for the quickest reply. ### Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off. [Book a priority demo](/book-demo) ## Keep exploring Modern Age Coders ### Related courses and guides - [Best Age to Start Coding? The Honest Age-by-Age Answer](/best-age-to-start-coding) - [Beaver Computing Challenge 2026: Guide and Practice Tasks](/beaver-computing-challenge-guide) - [Best Coding Classes for Adults in Ireland](/best-coding-classes-for-adults-ireland) - [Beat The Babu: The Fastest 90-Second Math Challenge Game](/beat-the-babu) - [Best Coding Classes for Adults in the UK](/best-coding-classes-for-adults-uk) - [Student Hackathons in Australia: Who Can Enter, How to Prepare](/australian-student-hackathons) - [Coding Classes for Seniors in Canada: Patient, Live Online](/coding-classes-for-seniors-in-canada) - [Coding Classes for DPS R.K. Puram Students](/coding-classes-for-dps-rk-puram-new-delhi) - [VS Code Setup for Students: Python and Java Without Errors](/vs-code-setup-for-students) ### Learn more - [SHSAT Math Prep and Tutoring: the 2026 Adaptive Test](/shsat-math-prep) ### Free resources - [Java Tutorial for Beginners to Advanced](/resources/java) - [Encapsulation and Access Modifiers](/resources/java/encapsulation-and-access-modifiers) - [INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE](/resources/sql/insert-update-delete) - [Lambda Expressions and Streams API](/resources/java/lambda-expressions-and-streams) ### From the blog - [AP Computer Science A Changes for 2026: A Parent's Guide](/blog/ap-computer-science-a-changes-2026) - [Is It Worth Learning to Code for a Career Change in 2026?](/blog/learn-to-code-career-change-2026) - [What Type of Data is Generative AI Most Suitable For? A Complete Guide](/blog/what-type-of-data-is-generative-ai-most-suitable-for) ### Start here - [Try a free trial class with a Modern Age Coders mentor](/free-trial) - [About Modern Age Coders, teaching since 2020](/about) Free class[Priority demo](/book-demo)[Call us](tel:+919123366161) --- *Canonical: https://learn.modernagecoders.com/bebras-challenge-practice*