Another idea: How about a "Beta" forum where all pending challenges are posted there (by admins only) so that users can give them a try and give some feedbacks? The posts get moved to the "Question, Hints" forum when the challenge is uploaded?

Beta forum?? Really??
Some challenges aren't even tried because only a couple have solved them...

Something better would be, as suggested before on other threads, a discarted challenges bin.
Where all the challenges go that didn't made it, along with the explanation WHY they didn't make it
so that new challenge creators could learn from mistakes made by others.

BaRa

Good, looks like most of us are on the same note.

Now, the important part - time to TAKE ACTION and effect some of these changes. This is the ONLY way we are going to make any progress.

I'm more than happy and willing to contribute in whatever way is required.

Hope to see these changes really soon.
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Personally I think that since admins get so much information on the challenges then they should not appear in the rankings.

Another idea could be giving different reward for each challenge... actually you get 1 point for each challenge solved, but I think you shouldn't get the same for solving JS1 than for getting the odd RGB values at prime positions in a BaRa style stegano...

I think Challenge Evaluators should assign from 1 to 5 points for each challenge

CAEsum, well stated This should be taken seriously and addressed. It defeats the purpose of the ranking in the first place.

Then again, this is not our site so we can only make suggesstions.
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I disagree - but then I suppose I am not in the top 10 and am not concerned soley with ranking.

With the greatest respect Caesum, what you are effectively doing is implying that Erik/TheBlacksheep/Inferno were/are/will be dishonest - and I feel this may not be the correct forum to do so. Perhaps we should limit ourselves to discussion on how to move forward.

In advance, I will apologise if I have read too much into your comments, however they read that way to me.

bb

But bb,

you can't deny that it is easy to solve a chall when you get a file with the instructions concerning what to do to solve it.
When i read the posts about a file howto.txt or something like that, then i have to agree to Ceasum. When you read that file, it should be clear what you have to do in order to solve the chall?!

matrixman

matrixman,

I understand the concern completely. The question you have to ask yourself is twofold.

1. Do I play here for ranking?

If the answer is yes, then this will be a major influence. If your goal is to be ranked as high as possible, then your chances of ever reaching this point are influenced by the second question...

2. Do you believe that the admins use the solutions to solve challs?

Again, if the answer is yes, then it will pose you a problem. Though perhaps playing on a site where you believe the admins to be doing this is not a fair test of your skills and you may be better served elsewhere.

However, if you answer no to either question - it makes no difference. You will get exactly the same from TBS as if the admins are all using the submitted answers to their advantage.

Again, these are just my personal opinions.

bb
EDIT : Spelling

bb, don't fool yourself into thinking that the ranking page is there for something else other than showing the rank of users.

There is only 1 purpose for that page. No one is saying they did or will do it.

However, my first point stands the same :-