Project Euler is a community and collection of computational problems to be solved as mental exercises or for fun. Solving these problems often involve drawing diagrams or charts, or using other types of visual thinking to develop algorithms that can produce the correct answers. The Project Euler Sprint is a beginner-friendly community of mathematically oriented coders (and vice versa) who come together to solve computational mathematics problems from Project Euler in the form of a competitive game. But more than just a competition, the Project Euler Sprint is about community, learning, and inclusivity. We do not discriminate – anyone* with any level of experience in math or programming (in any language) is encourage to participate. * We really mean anyone – everyone should feel welcome to join. Read our Code of Conduct for more details. The rules of the game are simple – solve as many Project Euler problems as you can. You are typically given 90 minutes and the chance to form a team of up to four people. The problems are weighted – since Project Euler problems are ostensibly in order of difficulty, the first problem is worth one point, the second is worth two, and so on. The simplicity of the rules and the progressive difficulty means that anyone can participate, no matter what level of proficiency you have in mathematics or programming.

Honestly, there’s something oddly refreshing about sitting in a room (or virtual call, as 2025 seems to require more and more) with folks from all sorts of backgrounds, noodling through a math problem that has absolutely nothing to do with your daily obligations. It isn’t rare to see someone who just picked up Python a week ago working side by side with someone who dreams in combinatorics. The vibe’s less “cutthroat hacker” and more “curious group project”—sometimes people even explain their weird tricks on the whiteboard (physical or virtual). If you’ve never seen a room light up over someone cracking a problem with a brute-force loop, it’s worth sticking around for that moment alone.

There’s also a sneaky side effect: sometimes you walk away with a totally new appreciation for how other people think. One person’s spreadsheet trick becomes another’s code snippet, and next thing you know, you’ve built a diagram or a proof together that actually makes sense. Sure, not every solution drips elegance—half the charm is in the messy margin notes and the “wait, what if we try this?” tangents that never quite land. You don’t realize you picked up a new technique until the next week, when it’s suddenly second nature. It’s community disguised as friendly chaos, really.

We also allow for plenty of opportunities to meet people and work together on interesting problems, though it is by no means required to work on a team. The friendly, inclusive nature means that you are free to tinker with new techniques, languages, and even try out processes like pair programming. Visually is known for its infographics and analytics, both of which require computational mathematics skills like the ones we use at Project Euler. That’s why I encourage you to join us (if you’re in Chicago) or create your own Project Euler Sprint meetup using the Creative Commons rules if there isn’t one near you. It’s a great chance to Write Code, Do Math, and Make Friends!

}}