Welcome to the world's largest spontaneous resource!

Over 320 verbal problems!

Over 250 hands-on problems!

NEPA OotM is pleased to present Spontaneous Problems Galore! – an online resource for teams to brush up for those 100 spontaneous points on competition day.

What is Spontaneous?
(from the 2007-08 Odyssey of the Mind program guide, pages 26-27)

This part of the competition is called "Spontaneous" because teams don't know what they'll have to do until they enter the competition room. Solving spontaneous problems teaches students to "think on their feet."

Spontaneous problems are "top secret." Teams participating in the same long-term problem and division will solve the same spontaneous problem, so, to ensure fairness, it is critical that no one discusses the problem outside of the room until all teams have competed.

To prepare, teams should practice for the three common types of spontaneous problems as listed below. However, they should also be prepared for the unexpected.

· Verbal spontaneous problems require verbal responses. They may incorporate improvisation or dramatization. Teams are scored for common and creative responses.

· Hands-on spontaneous problems require teams to physically create a tangible solution. Each hands-on problem has its own specific scoring categories.

· Verbal/hands-on spontaneous problems require teams to create a tangible solution and include some type of verbal component, for example, creating a story about the solution. Teams are scored for both the tangible solution and the verbal presentation.