All problems have an 8-minute time limit.
Problem 1: All Roads Lead to OMER
Divisions I, II, III & IV
Odyssey of the Mind teaches OMers the importance of the journey, and not just the destination. Each year thousands of OMers flock to tournaments around the world. Teams will create a ride-on vehicle that will be used to transport the team members to their tournament. The performance must include a Coach Character who teaches the team a lesson by threatening to “turn this car around.” The vehicle must be street legal in the team’s home municipality and able to carry all of the team members and props from their homes to the tournament site.
Problem 2: Virtual Virtual Odyssey
Divisions I, II, III & IV
Throughout the pandemic, we’ve adapted to a world of remote learning and working from home. We’ve even participated in virtual Odyssey of the Mind tournaments. Teams must create an original Artificial Intelligence that will solve their Odyssey of the Mind problems for them. The Artificial Intelligence will also complete the team’s Spontaneous competition while the team members play with a frisbee in the field next to the school and eat all of their coaches’ snacks.
Problem 3: Classics… Think Outside the Bachs
Divisions I, II, III & IV
Music is a part of our lives each and every day. Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are three of the most illustrious composers in the history of music. Teams must orchestrate and perform an original four-movement symphony. The performance must include a Conductor Character who will wave a team-made baton in an intense manner. Team members must perform multiple instruments simultaneously to receive the maximum “score.”
Problem 4: Wrecking Ball Structure II
Divisions I, II, III & IV
Sponsored by HAMMER™
Don’t let your structure get wrecked! This year, structures must be strong enough to take a hit and keep standing. Teams will design and build structures made of balsa wood and glue that hold as much weight as possible, while withstanding the team singing the Miley Cyrus song “Wrecking Ball” for the duration of the 8-minute performance. The performance will also include an actual working wrecking ball, which will be used to knock down one of the walls at the tournament site as part of a renovation construction project.
Problem 5: Supervillain Socks
Divisions I, II, III & IV
Superheroes have long overshadowed their “evil” counterparts. Teams will create a performance about a notorious Supervillain. The performance must show that even though Supervillains want to take over the world, they have feelings too. The Supervillain Character must wear a pair of socks with a team-created odor, which is mocked by the other characters, leading the Supervillain to a life of crime. The team must also create a Super Hero Sandwich, which will be fed to the judges on their lunch break.
Primary: World Peace: It’s Not Brain Surgery!
Grades K-2
The Primary Problem is designed to introduce young students to Odyssey of the Mind. It is written to be a fun and lighter problem that is age-appropriate for students in kindergarten through second grade to solve. This year, these young OMers must complete a residency in neurosurgery to perform an operation on competition day. Teams must create their Operating Room out of recycled materials. After successfully completing the brain surgery, teams must also solve one of the following problems: Climate Change, Hunger, Poverty, or World Peace.
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