London Verbal Maths Challenge
London Verbal Maths Challenge is an oral olympiad run by We Solve Problems with the help of the tutors of the Maths Circles and professional mathematicians from the London Universities.
The best performing pupils are invited to study in Maths Circles at King’s College and University College London.
The participation is free of charge.
When
11 October 2026, Sunday
Previous edition was held on 8th of February, 2026
Where
How to participate
Any pupil of the school years 7–10 can join the challenge. The participation is free of charge. To receive latest updates, please fill in this form.
- There is no need to prepare for the Verbal Challenge in any way.
- It is necessary and important to be having fun with the puzzles and problems.
- On the event, students will work on their own, and talking individually to a tutor.
Please note that we have a limited capacity of 100 places.
Should you prepare any how?
We strongly recommend avoiding any preparation or tutoring before coming to the Verbal Challenge. Our problems are designed so that no prior knowledge is required — and, in fact, any preparation is unlikely to be helpful.
During the Challenge, students will discuss their solutions verbally with a tutor, and it is their way of thinking that matters most.
Feedback structure
During the Challenge, every participant works on the problems on their own in a quiet room. When a pupil has a solution, they present it verbally, one to one, to a referee.
The referee gives feedback on the solution and points out any gaps or mistakes, but never gives hints or helps the pupil towards the answer. Every solution is entirely the pupil’s own work. A pupil can present a solution to each problem up to three times.
When the session is over, there is a set period of time when every participant can check that all the solutions they presented correctly have been recorded, and appeal if anything is missing.
Finally, every participant receives a booklet with full solutions to all the problems of the Challenge.
As all feedback is given in person during the Challenge, we are unable to provide individual written feedback after the event.
About Maths Circles and Maths Battles
Maths Circles are weekly extracurricular maths sessions for students in school years 7–11 (P7 to S4). The sessions are led by students of Mathematics from some of the leading UK universities. Maths Circles delve into topics that promote the art of problem-solving, nurture structured thinking, and cultivate a passion for mathematics. Participation is free of charge.
Maths Battles are debate competitions between two opposing teams. Students are not only required to solve a given set of mathematical problems, but also to present their solutions clearly and defend them under the scrutiny of the opponents.
Learn more about Maths Circles and Maths Battles.