Official Contest Rules

1. Sponsor

All contests offered on the SkillQuest platform (the "Platform") are sponsored by Metex Enterprises Inc., a New Jersey corporation with its principal office located at 7601 River Rd, North Bergen, NJ 07047 (the "Sponsor"). For questions, concerns, or support inquiries regarding any contest, please contact the Sponsor at: support@skillquest.online.

2. Eligibility

Contests on SkillQuest are open only to natural persons who are (a) at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of account registration, (b) legal residents of the United States, and (c) physically located in an eligible state at the time of contest entry. Residents of and persons located in the following states are expressly excluded from participation in paid-entry contests: Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Louisiana (LA), Montana (MT), South Carolina (SC), South Dakota (SD), and Tennessee (TN). Employees, officers, and directors of Metex Enterprises Inc., its parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their immediate family members (spouse, parents, children, siblings) and household members are not eligible to participate. Each individual may maintain only one (1) account on the Platform. The creation or operation of multiple accounts by a single individual is strictly prohibited and will result in the forfeiture of all prizes and permanent account suspension.

3. Skill-Based Determination

All contests on SkillQuest are contests of skill. Winners are determined solely by the participant's knowledge, speed, and accuracy in answering questions or completing challenges. No element of chance, luck, or random selection is involved in determining winners.

Every contest on the SkillQuest platform is designed, structured, and operated so that the outcome is determined exclusively by the demonstrable skill of each participant. Skill, as used herein, refers to the combination of a participant's factual knowledge, analytical reasoning, recall speed, decision-making accuracy, and ability to perform under timed conditions. The Platform does not employ any mechanism that introduces chance, randomness, or stochastic elements into the determination of contest winners. All participants in a given contest receive the same set of questions, in the same order, under the same time constraints, and are scored using the same published, deterministic formula. The scoring algorithm is transparent, reproducible, and auditable. A participant who demonstrates greater knowledge, faster response times, and higher accuracy will always achieve a higher score than a participant who demonstrates lesser skill across those same dimensions. The platform does not shuffle answer choices randomly between participants, does not assign different question sets to different participants in the same contest, and does not use any random number generator or similar mechanism in the scoring, ranking, or prize distribution process. The dominant factor in determining the outcome of each contest is the relative skill of the participants, making these contests fundamentally different from games of chance.

4. Entry Fees

Certain contests on the Platform require the payment of an entry fee to participate. Entry fees range from $3.00 to $25.00 per contest, as displayed on the contest detail page prior to entry. Entry fees are deducted from the participant's SkillQuest wallet balance at the time the participant confirms their entry into a contest. By entering a contest, participants acknowledge and agree that entry fees are non-refundable once the contest has begun. Participants should ensure they have a sufficient wallet balance before attempting to enter a contest. The Platform may also offer free-entry contests from time to time, which do not require the payment of any entry fee but are still governed by these Official Contest Rules.

5. Contest Format

Each contest consists of a predetermined set of questions or challenges that are identical for all participants in that contest. The number of questions, the time limit per question or per contest, the difficulty level, and the subject-matter category are all established and locked before the contest begins and are displayed to all participants prior to entry. All participants compete under identical conditions: the same questions are presented in the same order, with the same time limits, and the same scoring formula applied uniformly. No participant receives any advantage or disadvantage based on the order in which they enter or complete the contest. Contest parameters, including the total number of questions, time allotted, difficulty distribution, and prize structure, are fixed and visible on the contest detail page before any participant commits an entry fee.

6. Scoring System

The scoring system is transparent, deterministic, and applied equally to all participants. For each correctly answered question, a participant earns points calculated as follows:

Example Calculation: A participant answers a Medium difficulty question correctly with 7 seconds remaining out of a 15-second total time limit. The base points are 15. The speed bonus is Math.round((7 / 15) × 10) = Math.round(4.67) = 5. The question score is 15 + 5 = 20 points. If this participant is on a streak of 3 or more consecutive correct answers in a Speed Quiz contest, the streak multiplier applies: 20 × 1.5 = 30 points for that question.

Incorrectly answered questions receive zero (0) points. No points are deducted for incorrect answers, except in Speed Quiz mode where an incorrect answer resets the streak counter to zero. The final ranking of all participants in a contest is determined by their Total Contest Score, from highest to lowest.

7. Tiebreaker Procedures

In the event that two or more participants achieve the same Total Contest Score, the tiebreaker shall be determined by the fastest total completion time. Total completion time is measured as the cumulative time each participant spent answering all questions in the contest, measured in milliseconds by the server-side timer. The participant with the shorter total completion time shall be ranked higher. If, after applying the completion-time tiebreaker, two or more participants remain tied, the prize for the tied positions shall be divided equally among the tied participants. At no point will any random method, coin flip, or chance-based mechanism be used to break a tie. Tiebreaker resolution is always deterministic and based on measurable, skill-related criteria.

8. Prizes

The Sponsor retains a platform fee (currently 30%) from the total entry fees collected for each contest as operating revenue. The remaining seventy percent (70%) of collected entry fees forms the dynamic prize pool for that contest. The prize pool is distributed among the top three (3) finishers as follows: first place receives 50% of the prize pool, second place receives 30%, and third place receives 20%. The estimated prize pool is displayed on the contest detail page and grows as additional participants enter during the entry window. Each contest has a published entry window deadline, after which no further entries are accepted. A minimum of ten (10) participants is required for any contest to proceed. If fewer than ten participants enter by the entry window deadline, the contest is automatically cancelled and all entry fees are refunded in full to each participant's wallet. Final prize amounts are calculated based on the actual number of participants at the close of the entry window and are awarded after results are finalized. Prizes are denominated in United States dollars and credited to the winner's SkillQuest wallet balance. Prizes are not transferable, assignable, or redeemable for anything other than withdrawal to a verified US debit card through the Platform's withdrawal process.

9. Winner Notification and Prize Distribution

Upon completing a contest, participants can immediately view their score, accuracy, and time on the results page. The preliminary leaderboard is visible as participants finish. However, because contests use a dynamic prize pool model with an entry window, final rankings and prize distribution occur after the entry window closes. Once the entry window has passed and all results are finalized, the actual prize pool is calculated based on the total entry fees collected, and prizes are credited to the top three finishers' wallets automatically. If the contest is cancelled due to insufficient participants (fewer than 10), all entry fees are refunded in full. Winners are notified of their prize through the in-platform notification system and via the contest results page. No further action is required by the winner to receive their prize credit.

10. Withdrawals

Participants may withdraw available funds from their SkillQuest wallet to a verified US debit card using the Platform's push-to-debit withdrawal system. The minimum withdrawal amount is $10.00. The maximum withdrawal amount is $350.00 per transaction. There are currently no processing fees charged on withdrawals. Withdrawals are processed via push-to-debit technology, which delivers funds directly to the participant's debit card. The Platform supports withdrawals to Visa and Mastercard debit cards issued by US financial institutions. Processing times may vary by card issuer but are typically completed within minutes. The Platform reserves the right to request identity verification before processing any withdrawal to prevent fraud and comply with applicable regulations.

11. Fair Play and Anti-Cheat Policy

SkillQuest is committed to maintaining a fair and competitive environment for all participants. The following conduct is strictly prohibited: (a) the use of bots, scripts, automated tools, browser extensions, or any software designed to provide an unfair advantage or to automatically answer questions; (b) the creation or use of multiple accounts by a single individual; (c) collusion between participants, including the sharing of answers or coordinating responses during a live contest; (d) the use of external reference materials, search engines, or any other aid not provided by the Platform during a contest; and (e) any attempt to manipulate, exploit, or interfere with the Platform's systems, scoring mechanisms, or server infrastructure. All contest submissions are validated server-side. The Platform employs timestamp verification, response-time analysis, behavioral analytics, and other integrity measures to detect and prevent cheating. Violations of this policy will result in immediate disqualification from the affected contest, forfeiture of any associated prizes, and permanent suspension of the participant's account. The Sponsor reserves the right to withhold prizes and take legal action against any individual who engages in fraudulent or prohibited conduct.

12. Dispute Resolution

If a participant has any dispute, claim, or concern relating to a contest, their account, scoring, prizes, or any other aspect of the Platform, they should first contact SkillQuest support at support@skillquest.online. The Sponsor will make reasonable efforts to resolve the issue informally within fifteen (15) business days. If the dispute cannot be resolved informally, the participant agrees that any claim or controversy arising out of or relating to these Official Contest Rules, any contest, or the Platform shall be resolved exclusively through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall take place in Bergen County, New Jersey. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding. Judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. BY AGREEING TO THESE RULES, THE PARTICIPANT WAIVES THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OR CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION. All disputes must be brought in the participant's individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, or representative proceeding.

13. Refund Policy

Entry fees are non-refundable once a contest has begun. A contest is considered to have "begun" at the moment the participant receives the first question of the contest. If a contest is cancelled by the Sponsor before it begins (for any reason, including insufficient participants, technical issues, or Sponsor discretion), all entry fees for that contest will be refunded in full to each participant's SkillQuest wallet balance. Refunds for cancelled contests are processed automatically and typically appear in the participant's wallet within minutes. Deposits to a participant's wallet from external payment methods are subject to the refund and chargeback policies of the participant's payment provider.

14. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE SPONSOR, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AFFILIATES, AND SUBSIDIARIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUES, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES, ANY CONTEST, OR THE PLATFORM. The Sponsor is not responsible for any technical failures, including but not limited to: server outages, internet connectivity issues, browser crashes, device malfunctions, power failures, or any other technical problems that may affect a participant's ability to enter, complete, or submit answers in a contest. In no event shall the Sponsor's total aggregate liability to any participant exceed the entry fee paid by that participant for the specific contest giving rise to the claim.

15. Intellectual Property

All content on the Platform, including but not limited to questions, answers, explanations, images, graphics, logos, trademarks, trade names, software, algorithms, scoring formulas, user interface designs, and all other materials (collectively, "Platform Content"), is the exclusive property of Metex Enterprises Inc. or its licensors and is protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Participants may not copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, display, create derivative works from, or otherwise exploit any Platform Content without the prior written consent of the Sponsor. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of contest questions or answers is strictly prohibited and may result in account suspension and legal action.

16. Privacy

The collection, use, and protection of personal information provided by participants is governed by the SkillQuest Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. By entering a contest, participants consent to the collection and use of their information as described in the Privacy Policy. Participants are encouraged to review the Privacy Policy carefully before creating an account or entering any contest.

17. Tax Obligations

All federal, state, and local taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Under current United States tax law, the Sponsor is generally not required to report prize winnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for amounts under $600.00 in a calendar year. If a participant's total prize winnings on the Platform reach or exceed $600.00 in a single calendar year, the Sponsor may be required to issue an IRS Form 1099-MISC or other applicable tax form, and the participant will be required to provide a valid Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number. Regardless of whether the Sponsor issues a tax form, participants are responsible for reporting all contest winnings to the appropriate tax authorities and paying any taxes due thereon. The Sponsor recommends that participants consult with a qualified tax professional regarding their individual tax obligations.

18. Governing Law

These Official Contest Rules and any disputes arising hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey, without regard to its conflict of law principles. To the extent that any legal proceeding is not subject to the arbitration provision set forth in Section 12, the participant consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Bergen County, New Jersey.

19. Severability

If any provision of these Official Contest Rules is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, legal, and enforceable. If such modification is not possible, the offending provision shall be severed from these Rules, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of these Rules.

20. Entire Agreement

These Official Contest Rules, together with the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between the participant and the Sponsor with respect to contests offered on the Platform. These Rules supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications, representations, and agreements, whether oral or written, relating to the subject matter herein. No waiver of any provision of these Rules shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the Sponsor.

21. Changes to These Rules

The Sponsor reserves the right to modify, amend, or update these Official Contest Rules at any time, in its sole discretion. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date at the top. It is the participant's responsibility to review these Rules periodically. Continued participation in contests after the posting of changes constitutes acceptance of the modified Rules. Material changes that affect active contests will not apply retroactively to contests already in progress at the time the change is published.