Universal Rules for ExpeditionING

These rules govern the team unit and their behavior throughout the event.

1.1 Team Integrity: A team must remain intact throughout the duration of the race. All members must attempt every physical or skill challenge. Substitution of team members after the SI Start is strictly forbidden.
1.2 Equipment Sharing: All required team equipment (e.g., compass, shared token, puzzle) must be carried by the team. Physical burdens and mandatory items must be distributed among all active members and carried simultaneously unless otherwise specified by a Leg mandate.
1.3 External Assistance: Teams are forbidden from receiving assistance, equipment, navigation, or information (including real-time internet search or communication) from non-registered persons or electronic devices not provided or explicitly permitted by race officials. This includes communicating the nature of the challenge to outsiders.
1.4 Mandatory Safety: All team members are encouraged to come prepare with appropriate safety gear (e.g., first-aid kit, whistle) and are expected to adhere to all local laws, traffic rules, and venue regulations (e.g., hours, park curfews, private property boundaries).

These rules govern how the race clock is managed and how teams transition between legs.

2.1 Official Time: The official race time begins with the start line (SI Start punch) and ends with the finish line (final SI Finish punch). All intermediate verification methods (Tokens, Exchanges, etc.) confirm successful task completion, but do not affect the main clock unless a specific time penalty is issued.
2.2 Challenge-Mandated Time Caps: For cognitive tasks assigned a time cap (e.g., a 10-minute cypher attempt), teams must observe the official time limit, whether they succeed or fail. The time cap is part of the challenge. Teams are permitted to start again so long as they reset the timer for the respective task or challenge.
2.3 Mandatory Transport: When extensive ground travel between Legs is mandated (e.g., vehicle transport), the fastest and safest legal route must be taken. Teams should use tracking devices (Livelox) or checkpoint verifications if specified to maintain the integrity of the race.
2.4 Completion Token Necessity: For multi-stage events utilizing the two-point SI system, the final SI Finish punch is contingent upon the team possessing all mandated Completion Tokens and successfully passing the final check. Missing tokens result in an immediate disqualification or time penalty loop (Rule 4.3).

These rules ensure fairness and consistency in completing the specific tasks required by each Leg.

3.1 Leg Mandate Fulfillment: Every clue, riddle, cypher, or mandate must be completed in the specified order and by the specified method to receive the next clue or token.
3.2 Exchange Verification: When an exchange (of a Token, riddle, or physical item) is required, it must be conducted with the designated Gatekeeper or official. The Gatekeeper's determination of correctness is final.
3.3 Physical Task Requirements: For challenges requiring full-team participation, the entire team must participate simultaneously, or in a relay if mandated. Failure by any member to meet the required standard counts as a total team failure, triggering the penalty loop (Rule 4.1).
3.4 Open Access: All race clues, tokens, and physical challenge components must be accessible to all teams and must not be tampered with, intentionally obscured, or removed by a competing team (Rule 4.4).

These rules govern infractions and the execution of mandatory penalty loops.

4.1 Penalty Loop Mandate: If a team fails a high-stakes, physically linked challenge, they must immediately and completely execute the mandatory Penalty Loop as defined for that Leg. This typically involves returning to a prior checkpoint or restarting the failed Leg. No appeals are permitted.
4.2 Time Penalties: For minor infractions (e.g., minor traffic violation, Livelox failure), officials may issue a cumulative time penalty to be added to the final race time.
4.3 Verification Failure: Failure at the finish line to present all required Completion Tokens or pass the final skill check (e.g., Cone Toss) results in an immediate time penalty loop (e.g., restarting the final skill challenge) or a designated final time penalty.
4.4 Automatic Disqualification (DQ): Major violations—such as cheating, receiving external assistance (Rule 1.3), intentionally destroying or obstructing race property (Rule 3.4), or exhibiting severe unsportsmanlike conduct—will result in immediate and irreversible disqualification from the event.