1. Important Update: Caribou Contest Has Ended
On August 8, 2025, the official Caribou Contests Instagram account announced that the competition would cease all operations after more than 15 years. The decision followed the passing of its founder, Dr. Thomas Wolf, and was made “with deep sadness.”
While the Caribou Math Contest is no longer running, its past papers, interactive games, and unique problem style remain valuable resources for students who want to strengthen problem-solving skills.
2. Origins and Growth of the Caribou Contest
2. What Was the Caribou Math Contest?
The Caribou Math Competition (also known as the Caribou Cups) was founded in 2009 at Brock University in Ontario, Canada. With the support of the Canadian Mathematical Society, it grew into a major online math contest:
- Open to students from Grades 2–12
- Six contest rounds per year (October–May)
- 50-minute browser-based contests with puzzles and logic games
- Multilingual options (English, French, Mandarin, Persian, Ukrainian, and more)
- More than 160,000 annual participants worldwide
Caribou’s mission was to make math fun, accessible, and inclusive, helping every student — not only “math elites” — enjoy the challenge of problem-solving.
3. Why Caribou Still Matters
Although the contest has ended, the Caribou past papers remain an excellent resource for:
- Practicing logic, combinatorics, and geometry puzzles
- Building confidence in a low-stress, game-like format
- Preparing for other math competitions such as AMC 8/10, MathCounts, and the Waterloo Gauss Contest
Many schools and parents continue to use Caribou-style problems in math clubs and after-school programs.
4. Caribou Math Contest Past Papers: 6 Sample Questions with Think Academy Teaching Strategies
At Think Academy Canada, we don’t just provide the answers; we focus on teaching strategies that help students approach similar problems with confidence. Below are six sample Caribou questions, along with examples of how our teaching methods guide students toward effective solutions.
5. What to Do Next: Alternative Math Competitions
Now that Caribou has ended, families can look to other respected math contests:
| Contest | Format | Frequency | Key Features |
| Caribou Math Contest 2025 | Online | 6x/year | Games, multilingual, affordable |
| AMC 8/10 | Paper-based | 1x/year | High rigor, traditional exam |
| MathCounts | In-person/team | Year-round | Team events, U.S.-centric |
- AMC 8/10 (USA): Problem-solving contests for middle and high school students, highly recognized for critical thinking.
- Waterloo Math Contests (Canada): Organized by the University of Waterloo’s CEMC.
- Gauss Contest (Grades 7–8)
- Pascal, Cayley, Fermat Contests (Grades 9–11)
- Euclid Contest (Grade 12 and advanced students)
Each of these competitions builds on the same spirit of exploration and problem-solving that Caribou once represented.
6. Think Academy Canada: Continuing the Spirit of Caribou
Although Caribou contests are no longer held, Think Academy Canada helps students continue their math journey with:
- Fall Intensive Training Programs covering functions, sequences, geometry, and inequalities for other alternative competitions.
- Evaluation sessions to assess student level and provide personalized study plans
- Mock tests and strategy workshops inspired by Caribou’s interactive problem style
- Targeted training for AMC 8/10, MathCounts, and the Waterloo Gauss and Pascal contests
Families can still give their children a Caribou-style experience by joining Think Academy Canada’s free evaluation session.
7. FAQ: Caribou Contest and Beyond
Q: Is the Caribou Math Contest 2025 happening?
A: No. The contest officially ended in August 2025 after more than 15 years.
Q: Can students still access Caribou past papers?
A: Yes. Past papers and games remain online and are valuable practice materials.
Q: What competitions replace Caribou?
A: Students can now try AMC 8/10, MathCounts, or Waterloo contests like the Gauss, Pascal, Cayley, Fermat, and Euclid.
Q: How can my child prepare for these competitions?
A: Join Think Academy Canada’s evaluation to get personalized training with Caribou-style puzzles and preparation for AMC and Waterloo contests.
8. Conclusion: Caribou’s Legacy Lives On
The Caribou Math Contest may have ended, but its influence continues. It showed generations of students that math can be fun, creative, and accessible.
At Think Academy Canada, we carry forward this mission. Through Caribou past papers, interactive teaching methods, and prep for AMC and Waterloo contests, we help students discover the joy of math and achieve success in new competitions.
Ready for the next step? Book a free evaluation session with Think Academy Canada and prepare for AMC 8, Waterloo Gauss, and beyond.
