Terms & conditions

1. The promoter

The promoter is Pounce Marketing Pty Ltd, ABN 11 618 226 672 (“Pounce”). Questions about the competition: hello@pounceagency.com.au.

2. Competition period

The competition opens on 30 October 2026 and closes once it is 11:59 pm on 3 November 2026 everywhere in the world (11:59 pm UTC−12, which is 10:59 pm AEDT on 4 November 2026). Only runs finished before the close count toward prizes.

3. Who can enter

Entry is open to individuals aged 18 or over in any country, where entering a game of skill is lawful. Digital Doomsday is a game of skill: winners are decided by score alone, with no element of chance. If a prize can't lawfully or practically be delivered or redeemed in a winner's country, Pounce may offer a prize of equivalent value in another form or, if that isn't possible, award it to the next eligible player. Pounce employees, their immediate families and anyone involved in running the competition can play, but can't win prizes.

4. How to enter

Register with a display name, a valid email address and your country, then complete the 12-riddle challenge. Marketing consent is optional and does not affect your entry.

Each person may make one scoring attempt, using one email address. Further plays with the same email are in learning mode and don't affect the leaderboard. Entering with multiple email addresses, using automated tools, or any other attempt to manipulate scores may lead to disqualification.

5. Scoring

Each riddle has its own 20-second timer. The timer pauses while the "Did you know?" explanation is on screen.

• Correct answer: +100 points for a moderate riddle, +150 for a challenging one.
• Wrong answer: −33 points for a moderate riddle, −50 for a challenging one.
• No answer before the timer runs out: 0 points. If you're not sure, letting the clock run out costs nothing.
• Speed bonus (correct answers only): +10 points for every whole second left on the timer, up to +100 per riddle.
• A run's score never goes below 0.

Timing is measured by our server, from when a riddle is shown to when your answer arrives. Answers received more than 22 seconds after a riddle was shown (the 20-second timer plus 2 seconds for network delays) count as no answer. Your first answer to each riddle is final. The order of the answers is shuffled for each player.

Referrals don't earn points. Sharing your link is for bragging rights and challenging friends; it has no effect on your score, ranking or prizes.

6. Ranking and ties

Players are ranked by score, highest first. On the public leaderboard, players on the same score are ordered by shorter total answering time.

Ties for a prize place are decided by a judged tie-breaker instead. After finishing, each player can submit one spooky internet term of their own invention on their results page (up to 60 characters, one submission per player, which can't be changed). If players tie on points at a prize or reserve place, Pounce's judges (Sean and Sim) judge only the tied players' terms, on originality and humour, within 3 business days of the close. The judged order decides those places only; it never changes anyone's score. If none of the tied players submitted a term, the shorter total answering time ranks higher, then the earlier finish.

By submitting a term, you agree that Pounce may share it, with your display name, in its social media and marketing about the challenge.

7. Prizes

The top three eligible players when the competition closes win:

• 1st place: A$150 digital gift card
• 2nd place: A$100 digital gift card
• 3rd place: A$50 digital gift card

Total prize pool: A$300. Prizes are digital gift cards of equivalent value redeemable in the winner's country, chosen by Pounce. They can't be transferred or exchanged for cash.

8. Winners

Pounce verifies the top entries before announcing winners, including reviewing any unusually fast answers (under 2 seconds). Pounce may disqualify entries it reasonably believes are fraudulent, duplicated, automated or otherwise in breach of these terms.

The next two eligible players are reserves. We'll contact winners by the email they registered with. If a winner is ineligible, can't be contacted, or doesn't respond within 14 days, the prize passes to the next reserve in order.

9. Leaderboard and display names

Your display name, score and rank are shown publicly. Please don't use offensive names, someone else's identity, or anything you'd rather keep private. Pounce may remove or change inappropriate display names.

10. Quiz content

The riddles and explanations are for entertainment and general education. They are not professional, technical, legal or security advice.

11. Liability

To the extent permitted by law, Pounce is not liable for technical faults, lost entries or interruptions to the challenge. Nothing in these terms excludes rights you have under consumer law that can't be excluded.

12. Privacy

Pounce handles your information under its privacy policy. See our privacy page for what this challenge collects.

13. Changes

Pounce may amend these terms if reasonably necessary, for example to correct errors or respond to circumstances outside our control. Changes will be posted on this page.