Membership: A school or community organization may purchase a national membership. The membership will allow the school to field one team in each long-term problem for each division the shcool covers. The exception to this rule is the primary division (K-2) in which a membership can field multiple teams. Most elementary schools are Division 1, middle schools are Division 2, and high schools are Division 3.

Long-Term Problem: Each year Odyssey of the Mind publishes six long-term problems. These are open-ended and challenging problems that allow for a wide range of responses.

Outside Assistance: The primary emphasis in the Odyssey of the mind program is "the kids do it all." No adult or child not on the team is allowed to offer any help or advice in solving the long-term problem. The hardest part of coaching is keeping your mouth shut. Teams are penalized if outside assistance is suspected.

Spontaneous Problem: On the day of a tournament, each team will enter a room and face a creative challenge never seen before. They are judged according to the creativity of their answers and their teamwork.

Style: The final area in which a team is judged is style. It is the "extra" touches they put into their presentation of their long-term solution.

Teams: A team is five to seven students working on a particular long-term problem. Teams are formed by division according to age and grade, and teams compete against others within the same vidision in the same problem. The oldest member on a team defines the division in which the team must compete.

Tournaments: The first competition a team faces is at the regional level, usually helf from mid February to mid March. If they do well, they may advance to the state competition held in mid April. Each team that places first in their long term problem in each division will make it to the world finals, which occur at the end of May.