Getting to Massachusetts:
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is the closet airport to Central Square. MBTA Silver Line and Blue Line services are accessible from Logan to the rest of Boston and other areas served by the MBTA, including direct service to Central Square on the Red Line. A number of bus lines (Greyhound, Megabus, etc.) have service to Boston. Consult Google Maps for public transportation from drop off points. Amtrak also has service on Acela Express and Northeast Corridor routes to Boston South Station. Connections are available there to the MBTA Red Line.

Driving to Central Square, Cambridge:
We suggest using Google Maps for directions to St. Mary Orthodox Church at 8 Inman St., Cambridge, MA. Please keep in mind that a large number of streets in Central Square, including Inman Street, are one-way only and may require some maneuvering.

Public Transportation to Central Square:
Take the MBTA Red Line to Central. The venue is a 3-minute walk from the station.

Parking in Central Square:
There is some street parking around the venue, and some parking lots which vary in price. Because of the limited availability and price of parking, we highly recommend either getting dropped off or taking the train (see the Travel tab), which is a short walk from the venue. There is also a small parking lot in the rear of the venue. Please contact us if you have questions about parking or getting there.

Food:
Lunch will not be provided to competitors, but Central Square is home to dozens of great restaurants and cafés.

Registration Process

Before You Register

All prospective registrants need a WCA account. New competitors can create their own WCA account by clicking here and entering the required information.

NEW: On-Site Registration

We will have on-site registration at this competition. If you'd like to register on-site, please arrive at the venue during the check-in period, or at least 45 minutes before the start of the first event you'd like to compete in. You can pay with either cash or paypal.

How to Register Online

Prospective competitors register by:
1. Signing into their WCA account;
2. Clicking "Register" on the left side of this webpage, selecting the events they would like to compete in, and submitting their registration;
3. Paying the registration fee of $25. (The registration fee is the same regardless of how many events are selected.) Your registration is not complete until you have paid the registration fee.

The competitor limit for this competition is 60. The list of approved competitors can be found by clicking "Competitors" on the left side of this webpage. If there are already 60 competitors on that list, it means the competition is full, and any future registrants will be placed on the waitlist.

Any requested changes to registration before 11:59 PM EST on Friday, December 13, 2024 will be honored. Your registration is not complete until your name shows up on the list.

How to Pay for Registration Online

Payment is processed through Stripe. Click on the "Register" tab on the left side of the webpage to register and pay all in one place! You can start the payment process by clicking "Pay your fees with card."

Refunds

Approved competitors who cancel their registration before 11:59 PM EST on Friday, December 13, 2024 are eligible for a refund for half (50%) of their registration cost. After this date, no refund requests will be honored. Filing chargebacks from your credit card or Stripe affects our ability to run competitions; we reserve the right not to honor your future registrations if you file a chargeback.

Waitlist Information

If this competition fills, competitors who register will be added to the waitlist. In order to secure a place on the waitlist, you must pay the registration fee. If enough spots open up before 11:59 PM EST on Friday, December 13, 2024, you will be notified and accepted to the competition. After that deadline, all remaining competitors on the waitlist will be emailed letting them know they did not get off the waitlist and will be fully refunded.

This is my first competition, how does it work?
Welcome! We're glad that you'll be joining us!

Before the competition, we recommend reviewing the WCA Regulations, the WCA's tutorial, and this video which covers the basics of competing. We will be hosting a new competitor tutorial before the competition starts, check the schedule for details.

Do I use my own cube?
Yes, you will need to bring your own for each puzzle you're competing in.

How old do I have to be to compete?
Our events are competitors of all ages. Most competitors are between 10 and 16 years old, though we often have competitors as young as 7, and as old as 50+, so regardless of your age, you won't be out of place!

Where are results posted?
During the competition, we'll be posting live results on WCA Live.

When should I arrive?
Take a look at the "Schedule" tab. If this is your first competition, we recommend arriving before the New Competitor Tutorial begins. You can leave after your last event ends, or you are welcome to stay as long as you'd like.

What if I have more questions?
You can use the "Contact" link on the "General info" tab to reach the organizers and WCA Delegates. During the competition, feel free to ask any of us if you have any questions -- most of us will be wearing blue polo shirts.

What is Cube New England?
Cube New England is a 501(c)(3) non-profit which organizes competitions in New England. You can find more information on our website.

The top 3 competitors in each event will receive certificates. Unfortunately we are not able to provide cash or gift cards to winners.

There will be no staff at this competition. All competitors will be expected to judge and scramble throughout the day as this is a small competition.

Groups are posted here: https://www.competitiongroups.com/competitions/ChristmastimeinCambridge2024

And as a pdf here: ChristmastimeinCambridge2024-competitor-cards.pdf