How to prepare for Round 2

If you’re selected for Round 2, check the Round 2 page for the current year for practical details about what to expect; and find out something about linguistics. Here are some suggestions:

• Work through at least some of the training material by Simi Hellsten (UKLO winner of Gold or Silver, 2017, 2018, 2019).
• Read and think about How to write an explanation, by Simi Hellsten
• Look up ‘Linguistics’ on Wikipedia and browse through some of the articles about the subject on a professional website such as that of the Linguistic Society of America.
• Try some of the word puzzles in Alex Bellos’s books:
  • The Language Lover’s Puzzle Book
  • So you think you’ve got problems (just one chapter on language)
• Watch some videos made by a past champion, Neema Kotonya, about how to solve some past IOL problems:
  1. IOL 2007 Problem 1 (Braille) 
  2. IOL 2007 Problem 2 (Movima)
  3. IOL 2004 Problem 3 (Latin)