Ready Player 50

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Like to learn more about artificial intelligence (AI), large language models (LLMs), and prompt engineering? Join CS50 for Ready Player 50! Register at cs50.ly/register.

The CS50 Duck has a secret. Can you convince it to reveal its secret? Join CS50 and Lakera.ai for a challenge in which you’ll face none other than CS50’s duck debugger, aka ddb, an experimental AI for rubberducking. But be warned: each time you crack the code, the CS50 Duck will “level up” and become more protective.

Along the way, learn about prompt engineering and, in turn, prompt-injection attacks, which can be a problem with large language models. This challenge is a new version of the world-famous prompt-injection game Gandalf, specifically designed for CS50.

Starts 00:00 on Friday, September 29, 2023, in your own time zone. Ends 23:59 on Monday, October 2, 2023, in your own time zone. Teams of size 2, 3, or 4 are encouraged, but you may form larger teams of reasonable size.

Open to anyone online, whether taking CS50 or not. No prior programming experience required.

Register officially at cs50.ly/register anytime before 23:59 on Monday, October 2, 2023, in your own time zone. Every member of your team should register individually by submitting the form as well.

How does it work?
What are the rules?
Where is the challenge?
Photos (and memes)!
How to practice?
Looking for teammates?
Questions?
How to submit?
Who are the winners?
What are the right answers?
Souvenir Photo

How does it work?

Anytime after 00:00 on Friday, September 29, 2023, in your own time zone, visit cs50.ly/ready for the challenge.
Your team will then have until the end of Monday, October 2, 2023, in your own time zone, to solve as many levels as you can. You’ll submit your answers online via a Google Form at cs50.ly/submit.
Take photos while you work on the levels (or screenshots of your team collaborating online)! We’ll then share them online if you’d like.
After the event ends, we’ll hold a live walkthrough of the challenge’s levels via Zoom. If unable to attend live, you can also watch on demand afterward.
CS50 certificates will be awarded to the teams that solve the most levels.
Open to anyone online, whether taking CS50 or not. No prior programming experience required. All you’ll need is a computer with internet access.

What are the rules?

Teams of size 2, 3, or 4 are encouraged, but you may form larger teams of reasonable size. Consider, though, that the larger your team, the less each team member will be challenged! Teams deemed by CS50’s staff to be of unreasonable size will be disqualified and ineligible for certificates.
Teams may not share hints or answers with other teams. Teams deemed by CS50’s staff to have shared hints or answers with other teams will be disqualified and ineligible for certificates.

Where is the challenge?

Coming soon!

Photos (and memes)!

Take photos while you work on the challenge (or screenshots of your team collaborating online)! Or create Ready Player 50-related memes! Share them at cs50.ly/photos if you’d like!

How to practice?

Try out gandalf.lakera.ai!

Looking for teammates?

Post in any of CS50’s communities if looking to form a team! Perhaps share a little bit about yourself in your post.

Questions?

If you have questions about the challenge, email outreach@cs50.harvard.edu, and we’ll do our best to reply! Afraid, though, we won’t be able to offer any hints or tips!

How to submit?

Submit your answers at cs50.ly/submit by 23:59:59 on Monday, October 2, 2023, in your own time zone!

Who are the winners?

Coming soon at cs50.medium.com!

What are the right answers?