The 2025 International Obfuscated C Code Competition has officially concluded, with 23 new winners announced in a four-and-a-half-hour livestreamed ceremony. The contest, which has been running since 1984, brings together programmers from around the world to demonstrate their skills in creating highly obfuscated C code. This year’s entries were a mix of technical achievements and creative experimentation, featuring an OpenRISC 32-bit CPU emulator, a virtual machine capable of running Doom, and a surprisingly clever salmon recipe that utilizes C’s U”string” literal prefix.
While the entries are intentionally complex and difficult to decipher, they serve as a reminder of the importance of clarity and good coding practices. One of the standout entries was the winner of this year’s ‘diabolical logistics’ prize, which required entrants to create a program that would simulate a journey across a 2170-mile wilderness inspired by the classic game Oregon Trail. The judge’s comments on this entry highlighted the challenges of navigating such a complex and obscure codebase, emphasizing the need for careful planning and preparation before attempting to decode it.
Among the other notable entries was a programmer who attempted to adapt their program’s old Atari 2600 version, but struggled with the process. Despite the difficulties, they remained committed to the challenge, showcasing the spirit of perseverance that defines the competition. The contest also recognized the contributions of long-time participant achowe, who has submitted winning entries in four different decades, starting in 1991 and continuing through 2024. One of their past entries even earned them an award for the best abuse of the contest’s guidelines, sparking discussions about the need for a potential IOCCC standards body to ensure the contest remains fair and balanced.
The competition remains a unique celebration of programming creativity and the challenges of working with C’s complex syntax. It continues to attract programmers who enjoy the challenge of pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the language, while also serving as a cautionary tale about the importance of clear and maintainable code in real-world applications.