The book
Rules
- R1
One active commitment at a time. You cannot hide from a live deadline by opening another.
- R2
Stake $25–$2,000 in whole dollars. You pay the full amount via Stripe Checkout. Nothing goes live until payment clears.
- R3
Ship window is 2–21 days. Deadline is the end of that UTC day.
- R4
Proof is a live public https URL submitted after the stake has been live for 24 hours, on or before the deadline. We fetch the page; parked, empty, or error responses do not count. Repos, social posts, localhost, and recycled URLs do not count. Loom or GitHub is required at $250+ and when the live URL matches your placeholder. Those extra-proof ships go to human review before any refund.
- R5
Success: stake comes back minus a 6% platform fee after a 24-hour contest window (or immediately after an admin approves review). You get a permanent On-Time Shipper badge and a share of that week's prize pool.
- R6
Failure: the full stake goes into the weekly prize pool. Your streak dies.
- R7
Prize pool: every Monday the previous week's failed stakes are split among that week's uncontested successful shippers (weighted by original stake). Three reports hold a ship out of the split and hold the remainder refund until an admin reviews it. Cash transfers require Stripe Connect on /payouts.
- R8
No fake ships. You cannot restake a product you already shipped. Founders cannot cheer, watch, or report themselves. Admins can remove junk, refund+remove, and reverse fake outcomes.
- R9
Ten-minute cool-off. A paid stake stays off the public book for 10 minutes. The founder can open it immediately. Pending review does not auto-fail at the UTC deadline.
- R10
A dare is an invite, not a bet. Share a /commit?dare= link that prefills a product, date, and stake. They pay their own money. You do not receive it if they miss. Prize-pool shares go only to that week's uncontested on-time shippers.
- R11
Watch without staking. Signed-in makers can watch a public stake and get the outcome (and that week's recap) by email. You cannot watch your own stake.
Rules as questions
How does the weekly prize pool work?
Every Monday, the previous week's failed stakes are split among that week's uncontested successful shippers (weighted by original stake). 3 reports hold a ship out of the split until an admin reviews it.
What proof do I need to submit?
A live public https URL, submitted after the stake has been live for 24 hours and on or before the UTC deadline. We fetch the page: parked, empty, or error responses do not count. Repos, social posts, localhost, and recycled URLs do not count. Loom or GitHub is required at $250+ and when the live URL matches your placeholder. Those extra-proof ships go to human review before any refund. Community Report fake still applies.
When does a paid stake appear on the board?
After Stripe confirms payment, the stake sits in a 10-minute cool-off. The founder can open it immediately. Strangers, the public book, sitemap, and X posts wait until cool-off ends.
When do I get the refund?
Small stakes queue the remainder (stake minus the 6% fee) for 24 hours after accepted proof. 3 reports hold the refund and the prize-pool share until an admin reviews. High-stake and placeholder-match proof waits for human review; an approved review refunds immediately.
How do prize-pool payouts actually pay me?
Monday records your share on the ledger immediately. Cash leaves only after you connect a Stripe recipient account on /payouts that can receive transfers. Until then the share waits. We email you when it pays or when it is waiting.
Will you remind me before the deadline?
Yes, if magic-link email is configured. The daily job emails you when proof unlocks after 24 hours on the board, and again when the UTC deadline is within 24 hours. The public countdown is the source of truth — the email is a backup, not extra time.
Can I restake a product I already shipped?
No. You cannot restake a product you already shipped. Founders cannot cheer, watch, or report themselves. Admins can remove junk and reverse fake outcomes.
Can I watch a stake without staking?
Yes, if you are signed in. Watch emails you when that stake ships, misses, or goes to review. Watchers also get the weekly recap for stakes they followed. You cannot watch your own stake.