Pacing

Divide the paper into three passes. Pass 1 (first 20% of time): read everything, solve every problem whose full solution is already clear — these are the points that fund the rest. Pass 2 (next 60%): the two hardest problems you believe you can finish, alternating when stuck. Pass 3 (final 20%): bank partial scores — write the subtask brute forces, verify formats, re-read statements for missed constraints.

Track a simple rule: if 30 minutes produce no new invariant, bank what you have and switch. Returning later with fresh eyes is a strategy, not a defeat.