The CQA and NQA April Tournament Rules

All CQA graduates will not be allowed to participate in the preliminary rounds. However, they will be allowed to join their teams in the elimination rounds, but individual scores will stop accumulating in the second elimination round, thus still giving them a chance to aid their team to the top win, but preventing them from appearing as top quizzers in the tournament

Team Membership.
For each game, a team will be composed of three to five members and may include up to two substitutes.


Team Coaches.
Each team’s coach should be present during the competition.
Although the number of coaches for pre-contest preparation will be at the church’s discretion, each team will have only one official coach present during competition.
The coach will be responsible for the team's behavior at all times.
The coach’s behavior will be considered team behavior and, as such, should be appropriate and modest.  

Pregame Procedure and Seating Plan.
The quizmaster will face the opposing teams. The quizmaster will determine the arrangement of the competition room.
Three opposing teams will be seated so as to see and hear the quizmaster clearly.
Each church’s starting quizzers will sit as a team, numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
The official mode of response will be a bell-and-light jump system.
The quizmaster may review the rules and game procedure and answer any related questions preceding play.
The quizmaster and event coordinator can determine a reasonable accommodation to allow participation by a quizzer who is physically unable to stand.


Game Procedure.
A game will consist of twenty correctly answered regular or toss-up questions plus whatever free and tie-breaking questions become necessary, regardless of time.

Regular Questions: A game will commence with the reading of a regular question by the quizmaster to the three teams. The regular question format will be as follows: “Question number one: question.”
If no quizzer responds within ten seconds after the reading of a question, the question will be tossed out and another read to continue play.
Tossed-out questions will not constitute any of the twenty regular questions.
Team members may confer before any quizzer is recognized.
Quizzers may begin to confer while the question is being asked, as long as they do not prevent other teams from hearing the question. Quizzers may not confer once the quizzer is recognized.
During or after the reading of a regular question, the first quizzer whose light comes on will be recognized by the quizmaster as the team spokesman for that question and will be addressed by team and number, for instance, “Victory Menka, number three.”
Interrupted Questions: The reading of regular, toss-up, or tie-breaker questions may be interrupted by a quizzer’s jump, but he must then answer the question without hearing it read in its entirety.
The quiz box clock will start counting down once the quizzer has been recognized to answer the question.
Thirty seconds will be allowed in which to answer any question in its entirety.
The quizzer will be allowed a maximum of ten seconds before beginning his answer, but the clock will continue to run, marking the thirty-second count. An answer will be considered as started when a quizzer gives new information that is part of the unread portion of the question or part of the answer.
If the quizzer fails to begin his answer within the ten seconds, it will constitute an error.
Upon giving the correct answer to a regular question, twenty points will be scored for the answering team, and another regular question will be read to continue the cycle.
Each quizzer’s points will be tallied on a score sheet.
During the competition, any quizzer having correctly answered six twenty-point questions (quizzing out) will leave the game.
He/she may be replaced by an eligible substitute.
He/she will not return to the current round.
At the thirty-second countdown on the quiz box, any incorrect or incomplete answer will constitute an error.
Each quizzer’s errors will be tallied on a score sheet.
During the competition, any quizzer having made six errors (erroring out) on regular or toss-up questions will leave the quiz round.
He may be replaced by an eligible substitute.
He will not return to the current quiz round.
Beginning with the fourth team error, ten penalty points for each error will be deducted from the team’s score.
The first three errors will not affect a team’s score.
On the sixteenth and all subsequent questions, ten penalty points for each error will be deducted, whether or not the team has previously committed three errors.

Toss-Up Questions: After penalty points have been assessed for the incorrect answer to a regular question, the regular question shall be reread and will constitute a toss-up question.
Only the remaining two teams may vie for a response to the toss-up question.
If no quizzer responds within ten seconds, the question will be tossed out.
A correct answer to a toss-up question will score twenty points for the answering quizzer’s team.
Beginning with the fourth team error, an incorrect answer to a toss-up question will deduct ten points from the team’s score.
On the sixteenth and all subsequent questions, ten penalty points for each error will be deducted, whether or not the team has previously committed three errors.
When competition consists of only two teams, toss-up questions will carry a value of twenty points, and incorrect answers will not be penalized.
The toss-up format will be as follows: “Toss-up Question to the remaining teams: question.” Quizzers may jump after the second “question.” If the “Kirkman box” is used, quizzers may jump as soon as the amber light comes on.

Free Questions: Upon error on a toss-up question, the remaining third team will be given a free question, which will be a new, previously unread question.
The first quizzer to rise may attempt to answer a free question without fear of penalty upon error, termed “attempt.”
No other attempts to answer will be permissible.
A correct answer to a free question scores ten points for a team.
No penalty points will be assessed at any time for free questions which are incorrectly or incompletely answered, or unanswered in any manner; hence, the term “free.”

Tie Score: In the event of a tie score after the twentieth question, single regular questions will be asked until the tie is broken, termed tie-breaker questions.
Individual scores and errors will continue to be tallied.
If the twentieth question is answered in error, the entire round will continue to completion, toss-up, and, if necessary, free question included. Thereafter, the single tie-breaker questions will continue until a winner is declared. However, the quiz must end with a correctly answered 20-point regular, toss-up, or free question.
If, after the twentieth question, one team has the highest score and the remaining two teams are tied in score, then the winner will drop from the contest, and the game will continue until a tie-breaking question produces a middle winner.
The same process described above will be followed if two teams are tied for first-place honors at the end of a game. Each game will have a high winner, a middle winner, and one loser.


Time-Outs.
A coach may call two time-outs during a quiz round. A coach may talk with quizzers only during a time-out. This does not mean a coach would be forbidden from offering a spontaneous congratulations or encouragement.
Time-outs will be allowed after the answer to one question and before the reading of the next.
Time-outs will be no longer than one minute.
A time-out will not be necessary for substitutions that become necessary at the quizzing out or erroring out of quizzers.
Voluntary substitutions require the calling of time-outs.
Other teams may substitute quizzers during one team’s time-out.
A time-out may be called for a team conference.
A challenge will take precedence over a time-out.
The procedure for calling a time-out will be as follows: The captain or coach should stand and say, “Mr. Quizmaster, we would like a time-out.”
If tie-breaker questions are required, each team will be allowed one time-out during the tie-breaker, regardless of the number of previous time-outs taken.


Fouls: The following actions will constitute fouls.
Talking or conferring by any quizzers between the time the quizzer has been recognized and the time points are awarded or penalties assessed.
Any part of the hands or feet touching the chair during the reading of a question.
Failure of a quizzer to come to full stature.
A team’s display of any unkind attitude toward officials and rulings.
A disagreeable attitude evidenced by indiscreet challenging.
Any behavior not conducive to the Christian spirit.
For every three team fouls, ten points will be deducted from that team’s score.
If the wrong quizzer answers the question, the right quizzer will then be permitted to answer the question. However, if both quizzers are from the same team, an error will be assessed and the question repeated as a toss-up question.
If a light is on or comes on after the word “question” is spoken in asking the question. Example— “Question number 1, question”—a foul will be given if the light comes on after the first “question” is spoken by the Quizmaster.
If a light flicks on after the question is begun, this is an error, not a foul. The quizmaster gives the error to the quizzer and moves to the toss-up question. Example—“Question number 1, question, Who . . .”— Light flicks on with word “who” or following words; this is treated as an attempted and failed answer.
If a quizzer restrains or assists another quizzer physically (holds him in his seat or pushes him to his feet).
If a quizzer or team causes a delay in the game.


Challenges: The following rules will govern all challenges.
An answer to any question (regular, toss-up, free, or tie-breaker) will be considered open to challenge under the following circumstances.
It is believed that incorrect information was considered correct.
In a finish-the-verse question, the first five words of the verse are identical to those of another verse in the Scripture included in the competition.
It is believed that correct information was considered incorrect.
Each challenge must be submitted to the quizmaster at the appropriate time.
If the original question is ruled correct, either of the other teams may immediately challenge the ruling before the asking of the next question.
If the original question is ruled incorrect, a challenge by any of the teams may be made only after the completion of the toss-up question and before the asking of the free question.
A challenge to the ruling on a toss-up question, whether correct or incorrect, must be made immediately, before the asking of the free question.
A challenge to the ruling on a free question, whether correct or incorrect, must be made immediately, before the asking of the next question.
The results of the quizmaster’s ruling on the challenge will be as follows.
If the challenge to a correct ruling on the original question is sustained, the answering team is assessed an error, and a new question replaces the challenged one to be used as the toss-up question. If the challenge is overruled, the answering team retains the 20 points, and the quiz continues to the next question.
If the challenge to an incorrect ruling on the original question is sustained, the first team to answer is awarded 20 points, the result of the toss-up is discarded, and the quiz continues to the next question. If the challenge is overruled, the result of the toss-up question stands.
If the challenge to a correct ruling on a toss-up question is sustained, the answering team is assessed an error, and the quiz continues to the free question. If the challenge is overruled, the answering team retains the 20 points, and the quiz continues to the next question. If the challenge to an incorrect ruling on a toss-up question is sustained, the answering team is awarded 20 points, and the quiz continues to the next question. If the challenge is overruled, the result of the toss-up question stands, and the quiz continues to the free question.
If the challenge to a correct ruling on a free question is sustained, the score reverts to what it was before the question was asked, and the quiz continues to the next question. If the challenge is overruled, the answering team retains the 10 points, and the quiz continues to the next question. If the challenge to an incorrect ruling on a free question is sustained, the answering team is awarded 10 points, and the quiz continues to the next question. If the challenge is overruled, the result of the free question stands, and the quiz continues to the next question.
The quizmaster, with or without counsel of the quiz panel, will have sole authority to accept or reject the challenge.
No penalty shall be assessed against any team that properly submits a challenge.


Questions and Answers.
No unanswered (tossed-out) questions will be asked again until all questions have been asked once during the entire competition. All decisions on the correctness of answers will be the sole responsibility of the quizmaster, who may seek counsel of the quiz panel at his own discretion. 
Description of Acceptable Question and Answer Forms: Partial Reference (or Keyword) Question form: a question that includes the book and chapter citation from which the question is drawn, as well as a keyword.
Partial reference questions drawn from a Scriptural context without the inclusion of keyword(s) will not be permissible.
Correct example: Q: “What toil not in Matthew 6?” A: “The lilies of the field.”
Finish-the-Verse Question form: a verse completion question answerable by a direct Scriptural quotation without any book, chapter, or verse reference citation.
Finish-the-verse questions will begin with the statement “Finish this verse” or “Finish these verses; there are two [or three] of them…” Verses must be quoted verbatim.
No quizzer will be expected to cite references in finish-the-verse(s) questions.
Correct example: Q: “Finish this verse, He came unto his own . . .” A: “and his own received him not.”
Specific Reference Question form: a question citing a reference with or without the use of keyword(s) answerable by verbatim quotations.
Specific reference questions will begin with the phrase, “According to . . .” followed by a reference.
Reference questions are answerable with verbatim quotations.
Any additional content or paraphrase given in the answer beyond the verbatim quotation will be judged as acceptable/unacceptable by the quizmaster and/or quiz panel.
Correct example: Q: “According to Matthew 5:19, who shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven?” A: “‘Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so.’”
Quotation Question form: a total recall question which states an exact Biblical reference and is answerable by a direct verbatim quotation.
Quotation questions will begin with the phrase, “Quote this verse. . .” or “Quote these verses; there are two [or three] of them. . .” and follow with a book-chapter-verse reference.
Quotation questions will be answerable by the verbatim quotation of the verse cited. Quizzer may, but will not be required to, cite the reference; however, he must begin the quotation of the verse within the ten-second time frame.
Correct example: Q: “Quote this verse: Matthew 6:33.” A: “Matthew 6:33, ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.’”
The citation of the book and chapter will be included in each question; however, their location in the question will vary.

Determination of Correctness of Answers.
An answer will be considered correct only if it has been correctly and completely stated within the thirty-second time limit.
Answers to quotations and finish-the-verse questions must be verbatim and complete within the time limit.
When answering reference and interrogative questions, if a quizzer is interrupted by the call for time while giving additional information beyond what the judges consider necessary for correctness and completeness, so long as the information given before the call for time was correct and complete, the answer will be considered correct.
An answer will be considered correct if a proper name is mispronounced.
The quizmaster may request clarification by spelling.
An incorrect spelling of the proper name will constitute an error.
Only the first answer from a quizzer will be considered. Starting over to correct will constitute an error.
Should a quizzer interrupt the reading of a question, he will not be required to complete the question before answering, but an incorrect answer will constitute an error.
When a quizzer has finished his answer, he should be seated.

Errors: The following actions will constitute an error.
If the quizzer fails to begin his answer within ten seconds.
If at the Timekeeper’s call of time (30 seconds), any incorrect or incomplete answer has been given.
If the wrong quizzer answers the question, the right quizzer will then be permitted to answer the question. However, if both quizzers are from the same team, an error will be assessed and the question repeated as a toss-up question.
If an answer requires clarification for understanding.
Quoting an entire verse word-for-word in response to an interrogative or reference question.
An answer to a finish-the-verse or quotation question in which there is any deviation from verbatim quotation of Scripture, e.g, any addition, omission, reversal, or change of words.
If the quizmaster calls for the spelling of a proper name, and it is incorrectly spelled.
Should a quizzer interrupt the reading of a question, he will not be required to complete the question before answering, but an incorrect answer will constitute an error.
Only the first answer from a quizzer will be considered. Starting over to correct will constitute an error.
Any incorrect information in an answer. This includes giving information that is not a part of the question or the answer.
Any incomplete answer at the call for time.
If a light flicks on after the question is begun, this is an error, not a foul. The quizmaster gives the error to the quizzer and moves to the toss-up question. Example—“Question number 1, question, Who . . .” light flicks on with the word “who” or following words; this is treated as an attempted and failed answer.  

Determination of Winner.
In the preliminary rounds, the team with the highest score at the end of the twentieth question or sudden death tie breaker will be declared the high winner in each round. The team with the second-highest score will be declared the middle winner in each round. The last-place team will be considered the loser of the game in each round. In other words, each game with three teams will have two winners and one loser.

In the elimination rounds, the seats will determine which teams are quizzing for the consolation and which are quizzing in the championship. The last three teams will be eliminated immediately after the eight preliminary rounds, and then the team seating for the twelve remaining teams will be divided into two halves. The top six teams will qualify for the championship, while the lower six teams will play for the consolation. The competition will proceed as in a double-elimination tournament, so that each team must be defeated twice before being eliminated. 

When a team loses twice in the elimination rounds (with a low win), it will be eliminated from the tournament.
The last three teams in both consolation and championship remaining in the quiz after other teams have been eliminated will advance to the semi-finals, and the team with the LOW win (loss) in that round will be considered the team in third position for the tournament (3rd Trophy). The remaining two teams will then go in for the Final, and the team with the highest score will secure first position (1st Trophy), and the other team will take second position (2nd Trophy) for the quiz. The tournament will end with three top teams for the consolation and three top teams for the championship.

The Top 10 quizzers for the quiz will be recognized, and the top 5 will be awarded individually.

(Rules adopted from AACS and modified)