42 tips
How to prepare for the NSMQ
Practical habits for each round, built only on how the contest is actually run.
Round 1
Prepare for bonus passes
Train to listen to other schools' answers because a question your school misses can pass to the others as a bonus.
Know the subject split
Memorise that in Fundamentals each school faces four questions in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics so you can practise each subject to equal depth.
Target weak-subject blocks
Allocate practice sessions to subjects where you miss questions in mock Fundamentals rounds, because each subject contributes equal questions.
Practice quick subject switching
Work short timed drills alternating Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics questions to mimic the rapid subject changes in Fundamentals.
Round 2
Practice concise final statements
In applied question drills, end your answer with a clear final value or statement to ensure it counts as a complete correct response.
Practice quick, whole answers
Because there are no part-marks in Speed Race, rehearse giving full correct answers quickly rather than partial attempts.
Include calculation speed drills
Do arithmetic and quick estimation practice without a calculator so applied Speed Race answers come out fast and accurate.
Train applied problem drills
Do lots of applied-style practice problems since Speed Race questions are applied and thrown to all three schools at once.
Round 3
Time your checkpoints
During practice set internal checkpoints to ensure you can complete all sections of a 10-point problem within the limited time.
Master full written solutions
Prepare to present worked solutions in sections, since the moderator reviews each school's worked solution against the consultant's and awards marks per section.
Structure answers in sections
Write your solution in clear labeled sections during practice to match how marks are allocated per section by the moderator.
Do not preview the problem
Never look at the Problem of the Day before time starts in practice or competition because marks are deducted for doing so.
Include justification steps
Write brief justifications for each step in practice solutions so sectional marking by the moderator recognises your reasoning.
Simulate moderator review
After practice, compare your written solution line-by-line with model solutions to mimic the moderator's review process.
Label final answers clearly
When you finish Round 3, box or underline final answers in each section so the moderator can quickly spot them during review.
Round 5
Riddle clue scoring drills
Simulate answering after the first, second and third clues in practice to know how much each clue stage is worth.
Work on early clue recognition
Train to identify a riddle's answer from minimal clues so you can aim for the first or second clue where points are higher.
Cover one riddle per subject
Practice composing and solving four riddles—one in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics—as Round 5 has one riddle per subject.
Rehearse late-clue answers
Although first clues score more, practise recognising answers from third-or-later clues because some riddles require more context.
Learn riddle clue order
Practise working through riddle clues in sequence because Round 5 clues are read one at a time and points vary by clue number.
Before the contest
Simulate full five-round runs
Do weekend mock contests covering all five rounds to build familiarity with pacing, scoring and transitions across the event.
Review contest stages
Familiarise yourself with the competition path: preliminaries, one-eighth, quarter-final, semi-final and grand finale so you know what to expect.
Train all four subjects equally
Allocate study time to Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics since every round requires knowledge across all four subjects.
Master past-question patterns
Study previous NSMQ questions across all rounds to become familiar with the formats you'll face in each round and subject.
Practice mental arithmetic without calculator
Do timed calculation drills without a calculator to prepare for applied questions and quick scoring rounds like the Speed Race.
Rehearse three-school dynamics
Practice mock contests with three schools to familiarise yourself with how questions may be thrown and how bonus passes work.
Run mock True/False sessions
Create sets of eight True/False statements with two per subject to practise making risk decisions under the +2/-1 scoring.
Drill decimals and units
Regularly practise problems involving decimals and units because applied and fundamentals questions often require precise numeric answers.
Rehearse one 10-point problem
Solve full-length 10-point problems under time constraints to prepare for Round 3's single problem worth 10 points.
On the bell
Use bell drills for Speed Race
Practice ringing with applied questions thrown to all participants to mimic the Speed Race environment where all three schools can ring in.
Practice ring-and-speak timing
Drill the sequence of ringing then immediately stating your answer so your response is coherent and prompt in bell rounds.
Practice ringing for riddle clues
Simulate clue-by-clue riddle readings and practise ringing after different clues to build timing for first, second or later clue answers.
Round 4
Simulate scoring consequences
Run mock rounds applying +2 for correct and -1 for wrong to see when declining improves your expected score.
Train to decline confidently
Include practice sessions where you decline certain True or False statements since a statement can be declined in Round 4.
Aim for the 'Clean Sheet'
When practising, perfect every True or False question to target a Clean Sheet, awarded for answering all statements correctly in 2026.
Balance speed and caution
Train to move quickly but to decline when uncertain, since a wrong True or False response costs a point while a correct gain is two.
Under pressure
Decide T/F with scoring in mind
Under stress, remember True or False gives +2 for correct and -1 for wrong, so weigh confidence before answering or declining.
Avoid peeking at Round 3
Under the pressure of competition keep your hands off the Problem of the Day until time starts to avoid penalisation.
Target early riddle clues
Under pressure aim to recognise riddles at earlier clues in Round 5 where correct answers earn more points.
Keep Problem of the Day structure
Under time pressure, break your Round 3 solution into clear sections so the moderator can assign marks effectively.
Recall scoring rules quickly
Memorise key scoring facts—T/F +2/-1 and riddle clue points—to make quick, informed choices when seconds count.
Keep section summaries brief
If you're short on time in Round 3, write short summaries for remaining sections so the moderator can award partial sectional marks.
Put the tips to work
A tip of the day on the Fomla home screen, and every round to practise.