For an internal CTF, award more points for harder challenges, make hints cost a small number of points, and break ties by who reached the score first. Add a beginner track or team balancing so newcomers are not simply watching experts win.
What scoring should do
Public CTFs reward speed and breadth. Internal events have a different aim: learning, and keeping people engaged until the end. The CTFtime description of the jeopardy format says each solved task earns points, usually more for harder ones, and the team with most points when time runs out wins. That is a good base. The tuning is what makes it fair for a mixed group.
Choosing point values
Use three or four tiers, such as easy, medium and hard, with clear gaps. Ask your test solvers how long each challenge took, and set points in proportion to that time. If testers needed ten minutes for one challenge and an hour for another, the second should score noticeably more.
Avoid dynamic scoring that drops a challenge's value as more teams solve it, unless your platform supports it well. It can feel unfair when an early solver gets more than a later one for identical work.
Hint policy options
- Free hints at set times. Simple, calm, and good for beginners.
- Costed hints. A hint subtracts a few points. This keeps competition honest, and stops teams from asking for the answer right away.
- Staged hints. Three levels, from a nudge to a near-answer. Cost rises with each level.
- Human hints. A facilitator walks the room. Cheap and friendly, but uneven, since loud teams get more help.
Choose one policy and announce it at the start.
Tie-breaks
Use time of last scoring solve. It is easy to explain and needs no judgment. Publish this rule in advance.
Mixed experience
Balance teams before the event, mixing seasoned engineers with newcomers. Or run two scoreboards: one for beginners and one open. Or give a special recognition for "best learning moment," chosen by peers, which rewards curiosity.
Preventing cheating
Rotate flags if a leak occurs. Give each team flags unique to that team if the platform supports it, so shared flags are easy to detect. State in the rules that sharing flags ends participation. Keep the tone friendly, since the goal is learning, not policing.
After the event
Read out what was solved by how many teams. The unsolved challenges are the best discussion topics. See the facilitator checklist for the wrap-up flow.
Sources
Quick check
Should hints cost points?
For a competitive event, a small cost keeps things fair. For a learning-first event, free hints at set times are kinder and just as workable.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
