Currently we have no way of judging the programming contest solutions people send in to Useless Python. If anyone would like to pursue this idea, feel free to pursue and/or discuss it. We have proof of concept already, since people seem to enjoy solving these puzzles even without a Useless judge. And the idea of a programming contest in (or at least allowing) Python seems like a lot of educational fun. A web-based Python contest could allow students in classrooms around the world to work on common problems and see each others' solutions. With a little careful thought, something like this could encourage collaboration beyond the confines of the classroom.
ACM INTERNATIONAL COLLEGIATE PROGRAMMING CONTEST *WEB* is a source for 700 different programming challenges ranging in difficulty from the simple on up to the less simple. Here's your chance to have a little Pythonic fun while demonstrating that you can solve some of these problems with Python!
The ACM keeps these programming contests going around the world, but we need to prove that Python is as dynamite as we keep telling people so more programming contests will accept it. The more academically sound material we can provide, the easier it will be for teachers to take the Python Plunge too! So check out the massive list of problems you can take on, and send us your best shot at any of them that strike your fancy.
Since a number of people have enjoyed solving these programming contest problems so far, some Python Tutor email list people are on a quest to locate even more coding challenges. Please email any problem collections you run across. For now, links to collections will be posted here:
Just remember to mention which problem from which contest you are solving when you send in a solution. The solutions below have links to the problems they are intended to solve.
And if you crave even more challenges, check out the aptly-named Python Challenge section of Useless Python.
We're getting such a nice response to this site, which demonstrates the willingness of even many newbie Python hackers to share their creativity with the world. I wonder what it would take to start up an actual Official Programming Contest. If you have any idea how this is done, know where we can obtain judges, etc., please speak on up. You can mail me or send suggestions to helpful email lists, such as EDU-SIG: Python in Education or the Python Tutor email list.
It is a delight to report that the programming contest problem collection has outgrown this page. The contest solutions have been added to the main Useless Python source code collection. Programming contest solutions are proclaimed with an award image 
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by Rob Andrews