Competition · Writing, reading & languages · NACLO

North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition

A free language-puzzle contest for high school students. The Open Round is January 28, 2027, and top scorers go on to the Invitational Round on March 18, 2027.

Last checked October 5, 2026 against the official page

What do I need to do?

Register at reg.naclo.org and choose a site before the January 28 contest

Who acts
Student
Preparation
Some preparation Try the free NACLO practice problems for a few weeks
Eligible grades
Grades 9–12
Format
In person, at a registered university or high school site. The site list currently shows UBC as a university site.
Cost
Free for all eligible students.
Official site
naclo.org

Key dates

  • ConfirmedStudent registration opensMon, October 5, 2026Remind me
  • ConfirmedOpen RoundThu, January 28, 2027Remind me
  • ConfirmedInvitational RoundThu, March 18, 2027Remind me

Get a reminder before every deadline for your child →

Confirmed official date · Expected based on last year · Not announced yet

What it is

Students solve puzzles about how real languages work: writing systems, number and calendar systems, sound patterns and simple computer language tasks. No knowledge of linguistics or other languages is needed.

The Open Round is three hours. High scorers are invited to a harder Invitational Round.

Canada's English-language team for the International Linguistics Olympiad is chosen through NACLO.

It's aimed at high school students, but NACLO says many younger students enjoy taking part.

A good fit if: Puzzle lovers and language learners, including students who like math logic but not equations.

How to register

  1. Students register themselves at reg.naclo.org. Student registration opened October 5, 2026.
  2. You must also pick a site before the contest. NACLO doesn't find one for you, and some school sites are for their own students only.

How to prepare

  • Try the free practice problems at naclo.org/practice.php.
  • Work through past NACLO problems and read the solutions to learn the common puzzle types.

For grade-by-grade options see Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12.

Common questions

Does my child need to speak another language?

No. NACLO says no prior knowledge of languages or linguistics is needed. All the information is in the puzzle.

Where can my child write it in Metro Vancouver?

Contests are written at registered sites. UBC is listed as a university site. Check the site list on naclo.org and choose a site when you register.

Sources

Last checked October 5, 2026. Dates can change, so always confirm with the organizer.