Problems by Year

Below are listed the problem sets from each year of the International Olympiad in Linguistics.

If you’re new to Linguistics Olympiads problems, check out some of our sample puzzles to see what it’s all about.

† Language versions with this symbol were not used in the actual competitions.


Borovets 2003

Individual Contest

  1. Transcendental Algebra
  2. Arabic Arithmetic
  3. Basque Dates
  4. Adyghe
  5. French


Team Contest

  1. Tocharian
  2. Subscripts
  3. Verbs


Moscow 2004

Individual Contest

  1. Kayapo
  2. Swift News Agency
  3. Latin
  4. Lakhota
  5. Chuvash


Team Contest

  1. Armenian


Leiden 2005

Individual Contest

  1. Tzotzil
  2. Lango
  3. Mansi
  4. Yoruba
  5. Lithuanian


Team Contest

  1. Figuig


Tartu 2006

Individual Contest

  1. Lakhota
  2. Catalan
  3. Khmer
  4. Udihe
  5. Ngoni


Team Contest

  1. American Sign Language


St. Petersburg 2007

Individual Contest

  1. Braille
  2. Movima
  3. Georgian
  4. Ndom
  5. Turkish and Tatar


Team Contest

  1. Hawaiian


Slanchev Bryag 2008

Individual Contest

  1. Micmac
  2. Old Norse
  3. Drehu and Cemuhî
  4. Copainalá Zoque
  5. Inuktitut


Team Contest

  1. Fanqie


Wrocław 2009

Individual Contest

  1. Sulka
  2. Maninka and Bamana
  3. Burmese Names
  4. Old Indic
  5. Nahuatl


Team Contest

  1. Vietnamese


Stockholm 2010

Individual Contest

  1. Budukh
  2. Drehu Numerals
  3. Blissymbolics
  4. mRNA Sequencing
  5. Romansch


Team Contest

  1. Mongolian


Pittsburgh 2011

Individual Contest

  1. Menominee
  2. Faroese
  3. Vai
  4. Nahuatl
  5. EAN-13


Team Contest

  1. Sanskrit Poetry


Ljubljana 2012

Individual Contest

  1. Dyirbal
  2. Umbu-Ungu
  3. Basque
  4. Teop
  5. Rotuman


Team Contest

  1. Lao


Manchester 2013

Individual Contest

  1. Yidiny
  2. Tundra Yukaghir
  3. Pirahã
  4. Muna
  5. Telepathy


Team Contest

  1. Georgian

Beijing 2014

Individual Contest

  1. Benabena
  2. Kiowa
  3. Tangut
  4. Engenni
  5. Gbaya


Team Contest

  1. Armenian



Blagoevgrad 2015

Individual Contest

  1. Nahuatl and Arammba
  2. Kabardian
  3. Soundex
  4. Wambaya
  5. Somali Masafo


Team Contest

  1. Northern Sotho


Mysore 2016

Individual Contest

  1. Aralle-Tabulahan
  2. Luwian
  3. Kunuz Nubian
  4. Iatmül
  5. Jaqaru


Team Contest

  1. Taa



Dublin 2017

Individual Contest

  1. Birom
  2. Abui
  3. Kimbundu
  4. Khom script/Laven
  5. Madak


Team Contest

  1. Emoji/Indonesian


Prague 2018

Individual Contest

  1. Creek
  2. Hakhun
  3. Terêna
  4. Mountain Arapesh (Bukiyip)
  5. Akan


Team Contest

  1. Mẽbêngôkre, Xavante and Krĩkatí


Yongin 2019

Individual Contest

  1. Yonggom
  2. Yurok
  3. Book Pahlavi script
  4. West Tarangan
  5. Nooni


Team Contest

  1. Rhythmic Gymnastics



Ventspils 2021

Individual Contest

  1. Ekari
  2. Zuni
  3. Kilivila
  4. Agbirigba
  5. Rikbaktsa


Team Contest

  1. Garífuna, Lokono and Kari’ña


Castletown 2022

Individual Contest

  1. Ubykh
  2. Alabama
  3. Nǀuuki (Nǁng)
  4. Arabana
  5. Proto-Chamic, Phan Rang Cham and Tsat


Team Contest

  1. Manchu


Bansko 2023

Individual Contest

  1. Guazacapán Xinka
  2. Apurinã
  3. Coastal Marind
  4. Plains Cree
  5. Supyire


Team Contest

  1. Murrinh-patha


Brasília 2024

Individual Contest

  1. Koryak
  2. Hadza
  3. Komnzo
  4. Dâw
  5. Yanyuwa


Team Contest

  1. Lexicostatistics