NEWS
Our Malta team The MaltiVerse is back from Taiwan. We had an exciting trip with lots of linguistics fun, tricky puzzles, new friends.
Are you interested in participating in the LOM 2026 with the possibility of competing in the IOL 2026 in Bucharest? Stay tuned! More information is coming very soon.
Practice sessions
Register your interest in participating in this challenge by filling in this form.
Our first drop-in session will take place on 17 October 2025 from 3-7pm at the University of Malta in CHBO-204.
About
The Linguistics Olympiad Malta (LOM) is a problem solvers’ challenge in the spirit of the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL).
Test your ability to solve puzzles in logic, language & linguistics whilst having fun!
Click the link below for more information!
Have you ever thought about your own ability to untangle the codes embedded in the languages you know?
It may surprise you – and thrill you – to find that the very same skillset can be applied to languages you don’t!
The LOM was organised for the first time in 2023 (see LOM In The News) by the Institute of Linguistics and Language Technology (ILLT). Thanks to financial support from the Ministry for Education, Sports, Youth, Research and Innovation (see Special Thanks below), a first-ever Malta team travelled to Brasília, Brazil in 2024 to participate alongside students from around 40 other countries in the International Linguistics Olympiad 2024, one of 12 International Science Olympiads organised around the world. The Maltilinguals team, composed of 4 students: Jade Xuereb (De la Salle College), Ariana McCarthy (Junior College), Shanel Cassar and Carlo Rossi (St Aloysius College), was led by Prof. Alexandra Vella from the ILLT as Team Leader and two Observers Ayrton-Didier Brincat and Michela Vella. One of the members of our team, Carlo Rossi, was awarded an Honorary Mention for his performance in the Individual Contest, an incredible achievement indeed! In 2025 our team The MaltiVerse composed of 4 students Raine Borg (Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School), Max Borg Milton (Junior College), Carlo Rossi (St Aloysius College) and Jade Xuereb (De la Salle College) led by Prof. Alexandra Vella and Dr Jessica Nieder from the ILLT, participated successfully in the International Linguistics Olympiad 2025 in Taipei, Taiwan, thanks to the generous funding of the University of Malta.
The ILLT has been working with the local Sixth Forms since September 2024 with a view to drawing students into this exciting event. For more information, please send an email to olympiadmalta.linguistics@um.edu.mt or Alexandra Vella.
Eligibility Requirements
- Participation in the local LOM Competition is open to pre-University students attending local Sixth Forms who will normally be representing their school. (Independent participation is also possible but please get in touch with Alexandra Vella.)
- Round 1 is a Team Competition. (Individual participation will be exceptionally possible, but please get in touch with Alexandra Vella.) Teams will normally consist of two or three students (teams of four are exceptionally allowed).
- Round 2 is an Individual Competition.
- All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation awarded at the Awards Ceremony. Prizes will also be awarded to teams placing best in the Team Competition.
- Participation in the local LOM Competition is free.
- If funding for the 2026 edition is obtained, it is expected that a Malta team including students from amongst those who place best in the Individual Competition will travel to Romania to represent Malta at the International Linguistics Olympiad, IOL, which will take place from 26 July to 2 August, all expenses are paid apart from a non-reimbursable processing fee of €100.
- The LOM is governed by the general regulations of the IOL (see below).
Timeline
Round 1 – Team Competition
Round 2 – Individual Competition
Awards Ceremony
IOL 2026 Romania, Bucharest
Sample Puzzles
Puzzle Booklet from the 2023 LOM
Practice Booklet 1
Practice Booklet 2
More Olympiad Puzzles
To start off, flip through this quick slideshow, and find out how you would engage with our Phoenician challenge!
Contact Us
Are you an aspiring Olympian left with burning questions or queries? Feel free to drop us a line!
Get in touch with:
Special Thanks
Contributing ILLT Members:
Prof. Stavros Assimakopoulos
Dr Ben Matthews
Dr Jessica Nieder Dr Natalie Schembri
Dr Marc Tanti
Michela Vella
Amy Borg
Ayrton Didier-Brincat
Ariana McCarthy
Giulia Muscat
Pawlu Caruana for help with the starting website
Association of Linguistics and Language Technology (ALLT)
Jessica Formosa
Victoria Sciberras Herrera
Participating Schools:
De La Salle College
Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary
Junior College
St Aloysius College
St Edward’s College
St Martin’s College
Verdala International
We thank the European Commission Representation in Malta, Mr David Schembri and members of the team at Dar l-Ewropa, for the constant support during Rounds 1 and 2 of LOM 2025.
Funding from the University of Malta ensured that in July 2025, a Malta team of four students together with Prof. Alexandra Vella and Dr Jessica Nieder from the ILLT were able to participate at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Taipei, Taiwan!
Funding from the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation ensured that in July 2024, four students forming a Malta team were able to participate at the International Linguistics Olympiad in Brasília, Brazil!
Linguistics Olympiad Malta In The News
Maltese students shine at Linguistics Olympiad in Brazil
A team of four Maltese students participated in the International Linguistics Olympiad, held in Brazil in July, making it the first time ever participation of Malta in any International Science Olympiad.
The team was made up of Shanel Cassar and Carlo Rossi of St Aloysius College, Sixth Form, Ariana McCarthy from Junior College, and Jade Xuereb from De La Salle College.
Participation in 21st International Linguistics Olympiad
A Malta team composed of four students from three Maltese Sixth Forms recently travelled to Brasília, Brasil where they participated in the 21st edition of the International Linguistics Olympiad, IOL brasília 2024, alongside their counterparts from almost 40 other countries. The team of four Sixth Form students, Shanel Cassar and Carlo Rossi (St Aloysius College, SAC), Ariana McCarthy (Junior College, JC) and Jade Xuereb (De La Salle College, DLS), was led by Prof. Alexandra Vella (Institute of Linguistics & Language Technology) accompanied by Michela Vella and Ayrton-Didier Brincat.
Studenti Maltin jikkompetu għall-ewwel darba fl-Olimpjadi tal-Lingwistika l-Brażil
Grupp ta’ erba’ studenti Maltin ħadu sehem għall-ewwel darba fl-Olimpijadi Internazzjonali għal-Lingwistika li din is-sena sar il-Brażil.
It-tim kien magħmul minn erba’ studenti tal-postsekondarja li ntgħażlu b’kompetizzjonali lokali. Shanel Cassar u Carlo Rossi mill-kulleġġ ta’ San Alwiġi, Ariana McCarthy mill-Junior College u Jade Xuereb mill-Kulleġġ ta’ De La Salle, ntgħażlu wara li ġaba l-ogħla marki fil-kompetizzjoni lokali.
Student obtains Honourable reference in Linguistics Olympics
The attention of those who love sports was on the Paris Olympics, however in the Brazilian capital, another type of Olympics was taken place.
The Linguistics Olympics attract 200 young people from around 40 countries who are divided into 50 teams. These included a Maltese team which competed individually as well as at team level.
Team of sixth form students takes part in linguistics Olympiad
Are You Smarter Than A Sixth Former? Students Test Their Puzzling Skills In First Ever Linguistics Olympiad Malta
“Malta is a great place to be an aspiring linguist. Step aboard any bus and you’re sure to encounter a symphony of intermingling languages.
Whether you know it or not, if you’ve ever found yourself entranced by the mysterious sounds making up language, you’ve been sucked in by the lure of linguistics.“
Linguistics Olympiad Malta 2023
“18 students from three Sixth Forms (GCHSS, JC, VIS) took part in the competition which was held at the University of Malta last Thursday 20 April, efficiently run by our Admin staff. A student from the Association of Linguistics and Language Technology welcomed the participants. The concentration in the room throughout the 2½h-long competition was palpable.
Prizes for the winning individual or team/School have been organised through University funding. With the extremely positive experience of this LOM 2023 – Launch Edition under our belt, we hope next year to be in a position to take this initiative a step forward by securing funding which will allow our participation in the International Linguistics Olympiad, which, incidentally, will be held in Rio de Janiero.”
Code-Breaking Students Who Won First Ever Linguistics Olympiad Malta Celebrated
“An award ceremony for the winners and participants of this year’s first ever Linguistics Olympiad Malta was held on the 26th June – celebrating the success of Giulia Muscat, Liliana Francalanza and Oskar Lutterbeck, Junior College’s winning team, who received a voucher worth €150.
“All the participants did really well,” said Alexandra Vella to Lovin Malta. Vella is a professor of linguistics at the Institute of Linguistics and Language Technology, who helped organise the LOM.“
Linguistics Olympiad Malta 