NWERC14

To Sweden with joy, chess and plenty of baggage

It was about time! After years of preparations, innumerable training contests and estimated hundreds of pages of conceived cheat sheet, the final moment has arrived. The North West European Programming Contest, also known as NWERC, has begun.

This year's contest was hosted by Linköping University. Linköping is a small city in Sweden, 200 kilometres southeast of Stockholm.

We, that is the 12 men competitive programming task force of the TUM, consisting of nine participants and three coaches, began our journey on a Friday at the airport. It was a cold, cloudy Friday at an unholy daytime, but this couldn't affect our good mood. The first extraordinary incident occurred at the check-in counter. While we were under the impression that everyone had brought exactly one piece of luggage, the airline had a different point of view: according to their system, the participants had almost no luggage at all, while one of our coaches apparently had checked in 7 bags of excess baggage for himself.

Right before our flight was scheduled, the service personnel grew suspicious about our coach actually having brought seven bags on his own. In order to satisfy international aviation regulations, every one of us had to help identify his own baggage over the radio. But of course, this was easily done since we could all describe our 'dark blue or black' bags with remarkable characteristics like 'rolls' or the 'rectangular shape'.

Nevertheless, we made the trip to Copenhagen and from there on, after a short trip through the city, we continued by train to our final destination, Linköping. The temperature in Linköping was quite chilly, but given the freezing winds of Copenhagen, it felt more like an oven. After registration and meeting old pals from other universities, some of us slipped into our sleeping bags in one of the classrooms prepared for us, while other, more suicidal members of our team first went for an hour of jogging through the woods. However, they survived.

The next day was intended for testing the contest environment and getting to know the city. The contest environment worked fine, the city was cold. However, we learned in a guided tour that Linköping actually had a long and rich history, the name 'köping' originates from the Swedish word for 'marketplace', and over time this prosperous marketplace has grown into a city with more than 100000 residents. There is also a huge and warm church, where we stayed for quite some time. After some of us went jogging and the rest ate at a certain fast food chain that we relied on a lot during our journey, we crawled into our warm and cosy sleeping bags and the second day came to an end.

The third day was the day we all had been waiting for. The day we had to show our skills. The day of contest. Our task force consisted of three teams with the extraordinary names '#define true false', 'TeamNameInProgress' and, most innovative of all, 'Kartoffel'. Each team had five hours to solve as many of eleven given problems as possible. To make it more interesting, each team had only one computer to operate on, one screen, one mouse, one keyboard for the whole of three team members. Therefore, not only problem solving skills were important, but also good coordination, a target-aimed strategy and peacekeeping experience.

After five hours of intense thinking, heated discussions and working the keyboard as if there were no tomorrow, the scoreboard was set. Apparently, defining true as false is not as contra-productive as it might seem, at least the so-named team scored best of all the TUM-teams. But the other two teams scored quite good as well. Therefore, our coaches were willing to take us all back to Munich.

On our way back, we made a more lengthy stopover in Copenhagen and spent our whole fourth day there visiting all the sights we could find. Apart from the little mermaid, the Kastellet (Star Fortress) and the parliament building (Christiansborg Palace), we also paid a closer visit to the community of Christiania, which is a semi-official autonomous state in the center of Copenhagen. As we discovered, Christiania can be described as very liberal, especially regarding drug trafficking. But, since we did not have any Danish cash, we were not at risk at any point of time.

The end of the third day and mainly the fourth day was also when we discovered chess. If someone was to compile a list of activities competitive programmers do at night, playing double-chess till sunrise definitely deserves to be on that list. And finally, we discovered a table tennis plate in our hostel. As a result, our journey was rounded of by a thrilling and suprisingly accident-free Rundlauf.

Authors: Gregor Matl, Thomas Engel (Participants)

Results

Rk Team Slv. Time ABCDEFGHIJK
1 Lambdabamserne DNK University of Copenhagen 9 1298 1
26 		6
210 		1
93 		1
116 		3
295 		2
65 		2
168 		1
11 		1
134
2 Old Fafhioned Typefetting DEU Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg 9 1462 3
38 		3
100 		1
85 		4
186 		1
220 		2
84 		5
291 		1
9 		1
209
3 Omogen Heap SWE KTH - Royal Institute of Technology 8 747 6
-- 		4
-- 		2
45 		2
66 		2
95 		1
131 		2
28 		4
97 		1
6 		2
119
4 Game of Nolife FIN University of Helsinki 8 814 2
12 		1
163 		1
122 		1
91 		3
230 		1
71 		1
-- 		1
18 		1
47
5 Syntax Error NLD Leiden University 8 990 1
-- 		1
23 		3
106 		1
78 		2
132 		1
-- 		2
54 		3
246 		1
8 		2
203
6 EE Dragons GBR University of Cambridge 8 1045 3
24 		1
101 		1
126 		2
115 		6
-- 		2
88 		2
197 		1
7 		6
187
7 DoCtors GBR Imperial College London 8 1190 1
243 		1
17 		2
132 		1
140 		5
175 		2
70 		12
-- 		1
13 		2
260
8 hacKIT DEU Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) 8 1204 2
43 		2
124 		1
131 		3
154 		2
87 		4
273 		1
4 		4
168
9 UCooL BEL Université catholique de Louvain 7 790 1
39 		2
205 		1
64 		2
98 		4
-- 		1
113 		4
-- 		1
19 		2
192
10 Kaas NLD University of Nijmegen 7 894 1
18 		3
219 		1
89 		4
235 		1
51 		1
23 		1
159
11 ';DROP TABLE Participants; BEL Katholieke Universiteit Leuven 7 906 1
50 		4
159 		1
44 		7
294 		1
63 		5
-- 		1
6 		1
110
12 Beuler GBR University of Cambridge 7 1001 1
21 		6
115 		1
106 		4
76 		3
86 		4
-- 		1
9 		6
288
13 E^3 SWE KTH - Royal Institute of Technology 7 1055 1
19 		3
189 		2
104 		3
147 		5
78 		5
250 		1
8
14 TicTac NLD Vrije Universiteit 7 1108 1
58 		1
168 		1
112 		1
289 		2
184 		1
-- 		1
15 		1
262
15 viRUs ISL Reykjavik University 6 573 2
21 		2
111 		1
57 		11
-- 		1
89 		1
-- 		1
5 		2
230
16 <(OvO)> DEU Universitaet des Saarlandes 6 587 1
49 		2
128 		1
89 		2
169 		1
92 		1
20
17 Rage maximum query DEU Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg 6 616 1
32 		2
111 		1
65 		6
-- 		1
78 		2
-- 		2
11 		2
259
18 Challenge accepted GBR University of Edinburgh 6 653 2
19 		2
71 		2
140 		1
240 		1
97 		4
-- 		1
26
19 The Gaussians at IfI DEU Georg-August Universität Göttingen 6 694 3
72 		2
142 		1
127 		10
-- 		1
101 		1
12 		1
180
20 Massive octo ninja DNK Aarhus University 6 772 1
33 		4
214 		1
110 		3
138 		3
130 		1
7
21 Quantum Quoders SWE KTH - Royal Institute of Technology 6 785 1
28 		1
173 		1
83 		3
291 		1
158 		1
12 		3
--
22 Carrot GBR University College London 6 786 1
61 		6
249 		1
92 		4
64 		2
133 		1
7 		1
--
23 #define true false DEU Technische Universitaet Muenchen 6 850 2
47 		7
-- 		1
104 		4
182 		1
145 		1
11 		2
261
24 FAUltfinder DEU Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg 6 913 1
47 		1
205 		1
125 		2
161 		1
11 		5
264
25 justKITing DEU Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) 6 1084 1
24 		6
-- 		1
109 		15
289 		2
95 		2
-- 		1
17 		1
250
26 Axioms GBR University of Oxford 6 1682 1
71 		8
283 		2
235 		20
270 		4
217 		1
6
27 run»escape NLD University of Twente 5 438 2
50 		3
150 		1
93 		1
74 		1
11 		2
--
28 zodiac NLD Delft University of Technology 5 493 3
-- 		1
102 		2
95 		1
67 		2
161 		1
28 		2
--
29 Zrakomlati GBR University of Cambridge 5 590 1
44 		7
-- 		1
82 		4
200 		2
147 		2
17
30 Vortex manipulator GBR University of Oxford 5 614 2
70 		2
198 		1
123 		26
-- 		1
165 		1
18
31 Turing Compl NLD Utrecht University 5 649 3
183 		2
129 		4
99 		11
-- 		2
46 		1
52
32 Quokka DEU Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München 5 650 3
92 		2
-- 		1
62 		4
-- 		2
113 		1
26 		1
297
33 Y U NO ACC GBR Imperial College London 5 672 1
9 		4
243 		1
162 		10
-- 		3
142 		1
16
34 FAK DEU Jacobs University 5 737 5
107 		1
172 		2
290 		8
-- 		1
55 		1
13
35 ☄ NLD Technische Universiteit Eindhoven 5 769 2
110 		5
246 		1
161 		2
125 		5
-- 		1
7
36 JOGUrt DEU Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz 5 885 1
-- 		3
219 		8
118 		1
138 		2
186 		1
24
37 TeamNameInProgress DEU Technische Universitaet Muenchen 5 1020 1
78 		2
245 		1
-- 		2
284 		1
72 		3
261
38 UCooLTwo BEL Université catholique de Louvain 5 1096 2
285 		1
180 		1
198 		6
268 		2
25
39 15% Mer Kräm SWE Linköping University 5 1238 8
117 		7
293 		4
200 		3
215 		3
13
40 Fångade i en while-loop SWE Lund University 4 329 2
59 		4
-- 		1
91 		14
-- 		1
150 		1
9
41 Fuzz NLD Technische Universiteit Eindhoven 4 348 2
50 		3
-- 		1
145 		2
103 		1
10
42 Stroustrup Strategists DNK Aarhus University 4 365 2
70 		3
-- 		1
150 		1
115 		1
10
43 Typing Chicken NOR University of Oslo 4 374 2
64 		4
-- 		1
107 		1
166 		1
17
44 ^(OvO)^ DEU Universitaet des Saarlandes 4 398 3
53 		4
-- 		1
152 		2
122 		1
11
45 THM NOR University of Bergen 4 413 5
60 		2
149 		10
-- 		1
94 		1
10
46 sudo win NLD Utrecht University 4 457 2
201 		1
130 		1
89 		1
17 		2
--
47 Code Ninjas GBR Imperial College London 4 465 1
47 		2
-- 		1
229 		1
-- 		2
134 		1
35
48 No Output DEU Universität zu Lübeck 4 481 2
107 		1
180 		2
112 		2
22
49 ALT DEU Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz 4 512 2
235 		7
-- 		1
113 		8
-- 		1
130 		1
14
50 Soton 1.1 GBR University of Southampton 4 594 1
12 		6
202 		10
-- 		7
143 		1
-- 		1
17
51 Team Kuno DEU Universität zu Lübeck 4 600 2
-- 		1
262 		1
201 		2
98 		1
19
52 Kjøttdeig NOR Norwegian University of Science and Technology 4 600 2
66 		5
-- 		1
289 		2
190 		1
15
53 SKM SWE Linköping University 4 616 4
106 		7
-- 		1
155 		6
-- 		4
214 		1
21
54 ChaosKITs DEU Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) 4 656 2
243 		1
-- 		1
207 		1
163 		1
23
55 goto pizza; FIN Aalto University 4 781 1
-- 		3
210 		4
-- 		1
217 		2
278 		1
16
56 Kartoffel DEU Technische Universitaet Muenchen 4 918 4
180 		6
289 		3
224 		3
-- 		1
25
57 3000m Øl NOR University of Oslo 3 258 1
-- 		2
-- 		1
99 		1
141 		1
18
58 Phoenix NLD Delft University of Technology 3 284 13
-- 		4
-- 		1
54 		3
176 		1
14
59 includeOx GBR University of Oxford 3 302 1
45 		5
-- 		1
250 		4
-- 		1
7
60 Infinite Loop GBR University of Warwick 3 321 1
67 		4
-- 		1
233 		4
-- 		1
21 		3
--
61 YES DEU Jacobs University 3 374 3
44 		6
-- 		1
268 		8
-- 		1
22
62 Lel GBR University of Warwick 3 397 2
109 		2
225 		1
23
63 Hack-o-Matic SWE Lund University 3 414 4
-- 		3
-- 		1
183 		2
198 		1
13
64 Bulgarian Squirrel Force GBR University of Edinburgh 3 445 4
180 		5
-- 		3
154 		1
-- 		1
11
65 if (solved) throw new balloon SWE Linköping University 3 501 3
-- 		4
232 		3
152 		1
17
66 Bath-1 GBR University of Bath 3 593 1
252 		2
295 		1
26
67 Crown of Command Line NLD Universiteit van Amsterdam 3 605 2
-- 		5
-- 		1
133 		9
286 		1
26
68 VVV NLD Delft University of Technology 3 630 1
65 		14
273 		6
-- 		2
12
69 ``Can we drink yet?" NLD Technische Universiteit Eindhoven 3 638 7
291 		3
167 		1
20
70 Rootkjell o company SWE Lund University 3 669 3
-- 		9
271 		3
169 		1
29
71 Mission I'm Possible DEU Universität Rostock 2 226 2
-- 		2
194 		1
12
72 Xiaobai GBR University of Nottingham 2 328 1
-- 		4
-- 		3
215 		3
33
73 HipHipArray DEU Frankfurt am Main University of Applied Sciences 2 339 3
-- 		2
292 		1
27
74 Ninjadev NOR Norwegian University of Science and Technology 2 367 6
-- 		3
-- 		6
257 		1
10
75 Static void SWE Uppsala University 2 372 7
-- 		1
-- 		1
38 		7
214
76 resistance==futile NLD Vrije Universiteit 2 590 1
192 		3
-- 		7
278
77 :(){:|:&};: #dabomb NLD Leiden University 1 9 1
-- 		1
-- 		1
-- 		3
-- 		1
-- 		1
-- 		1
-- 		3
-- 		1
-- 		1
9 		1
--
78 Superscrubs GBR University of Warwick 1 21 7
-- 		1
-- 		1
21
79 Drink en denk BEL Katholieke Universiteit Leuven 1 22 8
-- 		5
-- 		1
22
80 q.e.d. DEU Frankfurt am Main University of Applied Sciences 1 29 2
-- 		5
-- 		5
-- 		1
29
81 Error in String "teamName" GBR University of Liverpool 1 34 3
-- 		2
-- 		1
34
82 RageAgainstTheTuringMachine NOR University of Bergen 1 38 5
-- 		7
-- 		2
18
83 28 Arrays Later SWE Umeå University 1 42 4
-- 		2
22
84 Brogrammers GBR University of Manchester 1 43 5
-- 		2
-- 		2
-- 		2
23
85 LUT FIN Lappeenranta University of Technology 1 43 5
-- 		1
43
86 Diarrekursive DNK University of Copenhagen 1 59 6
-- 		5
-- 		1
-- 		2
39
87 Doris GBR University of Liverpool 1 60 3
-- 		4
-- 		2
-- 		1
60
88 JustVisitingSweden DEU University of Applied Sciences Landshut 1 64 1
-- 		16
-- 		3
24
89 iMoOR GBR University of Nottingham 1 77 4
-- 		4
-- 		2
57
90 extends Object DEU University of Applied Sciences Landshut 1 78 3
-- 		2
58
91 BestPudgeEU DEU University of Applied Sciences Landshut 1 84 6
-- 		12
-- 		3
-- 		2
64
92 Segmentation fault GBR University College London 1 218 8
-- 		1
-- 		5
-- 		3
178
93 Bath-2 GBR University of Bath 1 295 2
275 		2
--
94 /etc/inte.d/ SWE Luleå University of Technology 0 0 5
--
94 Keine Ahnung DEU Frankfurt am Main University of Applied Sciences 0 0 1
-- 		10
--
94 Mohebbolhoggeh SWE Uppsala University 0 0
ABCDEFGHIJK
Solved / Tries 0/12 (0%) 1/7 (14%) 62/216 (28%) 43/327 (13%) 61/96 (63%) 23/222 (10%) 3/20 (15%) 70/213 (32%) 7/79 (8%) 92/135 (68%) 22/68 (32%)
Average tries 2.40 1.75 2.51 4.14 1.45 6.00 2.50 2.51 3.29 1.42 2.34
Averages tries to solve -- 1.00 2.00 3.44 1.33 4.17 2.33 2.21 3.57 1.28 2.45
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