Today I came across a post on Twitter about Codeforces, and my first thought was: “our CF.” That one word our says a lot.

We’re the same community that celebrated Tourist crossing 4000. The same people who watched Jiangly and Tourist go head-to-head like legends. Many of us have experienced that thrill , being in the same round as them, watching the scoreboard tick in the final minutes, eating popcorn, ignoring our own standings, just admiring greatness unfold.

It wasn’t just about ratings , it was about being a part of something bigger. A global arena where minds competed, and respect was mutual.

But now, things feel different.

We’re seeing blame, frustration, division. This recent incident , regardless of who's right or wrong , exposed how fragile the system has become.

It caused chaos.

Genuine participants were wrongly accused.

GMs were disturbed.

And for many who put in honest effort, the joy was gone , just like that.

All that prep, that excitement, that motivation , crushed in one evening.

Let’s Reflect , Not Just React There are two ways to respond:

Argue about who was right or wrong.

Ask why this even happened in the first place.

I believe in the second. Because unless we reflect on the “why,” this will keep happening. And next time, the damage could be even worse.

Let’s be honest , yes, cheaters exist. If you think India has cheaters , it does. But so do many other countries.

Maybe it's more visible here because of the immense pressure , the middle-class hustle, internships and job placements hanging on ratings, resumes built on CP. There’s a lot riding on it. That doesn’t justify cheating , but it explains why people might take shortcuts.

Still, pointing fingers won’t solve anything. The real question is: can we do something about it?

And the answer is: yes.

Do You Remember This?

These moments? They were magic.

The joy of watching three legends joke, compete, and enjoy the process , that’s what made CF ours. It wasn’t about ACs or ratings , it was about being part of a shared culture, something only a true CP’er can feel.

We felt proud just being on the same platform where these moments happened.

Let’s not lose that.

It’s Time to Build , Not Break Instead of spiraling into drama, let’s channel that energy into something constructive:

Smarter systems to detect and discourage cheating

Tools and policies that adapt to the rise of AI assistance

Thoughtful, community-built ideas that preserve fairness without killing the fun

We have brilliant minds here , LGMs, masters, testers, setters, developers. If we all use our CP brains, we can build something resilient.

I’ve shared one direction we can start with here: https://mirror.codeforces.com/blog/entry/144059#comment-1287297

A Personal Request: Too many good ideas get left behind as just blogs with a few upvotes.

I ask , especially to the LGMs and experienced users , take this into your hands. You understand the system. You’ve grown through it. You know where the cracks are.

Let’s brainstorm. Let’s fix this. Let’s build something that’s real, foolproof, and ready before 2026.

If You’ve Ever... Smiled watching Tourist submit at 1:59

Refreshed standings to watch Jiangly climb

Felt that unique dopamine after solving a problem

Celebrated a rating boost with friends

Or simply smiled when you got an AC after hours of struggle...

Then you know what Codeforces means to you.

Codeforces isn’t just a platform , it’s home. Together, we built this. Now, let’s be the ones to save it.