Odyssey of the Mind, abbreviated OM or OotM, is a creative problem-solving program where team members present their solution at a competition to a predefined long-term problem that takes many months to complete and involves writing, design, construction, and theatrical performance.

The settlement essentially created two new entities: the nonprofit OM Association and the for-profit Creative Competitions.

The OM Association started a new but similar creative tournament called Destination ImagiNation.

The program is now international, with teams from Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Canada, China, Czech Republic, DODDS, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Switzerland, Togo, the United Kingdom, and Uzbekistan, regularly competing in addition to teams from the United States.

The Outside Assistance rule heavily stresses that every aspect of a solution must result from the work of the team; parents and coaches must restrict themselves to supervising safety and encouraging focus.

Something as simple as a mother adjusting her child's hat prior to competition is considered outside assistance, with a score penalty.

The rules require participants to push their thinking capacities to make best use of their skills, time, and money.

Some examples include computers and most audio-visual equipment (projectors, radios, televisions, music players, etc.).

The judges check this list to make sure that the team is within the cost limit and following the appropriate assigned values and exemptions.

Style is a component of long-term problems where teams are scored on specific elements of their presentation.

The pre-specified elements are related to the problem in some way; they are typically something to do with the appearance of a vehicle, costume, or prop.

The free choice items may be anything the team wishes as long as they are not already scored as part of the long-term solution or pre-specified elements.

At the tournament, individual teams enter the competition room and are presented with one of three problem types: verbal, hands-on, or verbal/hands-on.

Verbal problems encourage individuals to incorporate their knowledge of history, science, literature, and popular culture.

In OM, if the rules do not say that something cannot be done, then it can; in other words, participants are encouraged to search for creative, outside-the-box solutions.

The float and banner parade is another fun event that happens on the Thursday night of the World Finals.