How to Play

Quick start

From sign-in to solution

Log in with TechAccelerator

Choose the TechAccelerator option on the game’s login page to enter with your individual account.
Choose a challenge

Open the Challenges page, review the categories and point values, and select the investigation you want to attempt.
Open the authorized demo

Follow the challenge instructions into TechAccelerator. Work only in the demo or environment linked by the prompt.
Investigate the scenario

Examine the available messages, events, systems, or other evidence until you can answer the question in the challenge.
Submit the exact answer

Return to the challenge, enter the requested value in the submission field, and check the result.
Track your progress

Continue solving and use the scoreboard to follow your Monthly and All-Time standings.

Challenge answers

What an answer might look like

Answer types vary by challenge. The prompt tells you what evidence to find and how to submit it.

Content from an email

You might be asked for the third word in a subject line or another precisely identified part of a message.

An attacker IP address

You might trace activity in the demo and submit the IPv4 or IPv6 address associated with the attacker.

A username or hostname

You might identify the account or endpoint compromised during the scenario and submit its exact name.

Precision matters

Submit exactly what is requested

Before submitting, compare your answer with the wording and example format in the challenge.

Include or omit punctuation exactly as instructed.
Preserve capitalization when the challenge calls for it.
Remove accidental leading or trailing whitespace.
Use any required wrapper or prefix shown in the prompt.

Hints and scoring

Each challenge displays its point value. When hints are available, review any displayed cost before unlocking one.

Challenge rules can vary, so use the prompt and the on-screen response as the authority for submissions, hints, and scoring.

Monthly and All-Time standings

Monthly scores reset when a game period rolls over. The completed month remains part of your cumulative All-Time result.

All-Time standings reset at the beginning of each calendar year and determine the annual grand-prize winner.

When something does not work

Troubleshooting

My session expired or I cannot open the challenge

Return to the login page and sign in with TechAccelerator again, then reopen the challenge.

The demo does not launch or appears unavailable

Confirm that you are signed in to TechAccelerator and retry the challenge link. If the authorized environment remains unavailable, contact the game administrator and include the challenge name.

My answer is not accepted

Reread the requested evidence and example format. Check punctuation, capitalization, whitespace, address format, and any required wrapper before trying again.

Play within the authorized environment

Use only the demos and actions provided by the challenge. Complete your own investigation, do not share answers, and do not disrupt the platform, a demo, or another participant.

If a challenge appears to require activity outside its linked environment, stop and contact the game administrator.

How to play

From sign-in to solution

Log in with TechAccelerator

Choose a challenge

Open the authorized demo

Investigate the scenario

Submit the exact answer

Track your progress