Play on Twitter to Enter the Daily SQL Server Answer & Question Challenge and Sweepstakes

How much do you know about SQL Server, really? Test your knowledge andplay our daily SQL Server A & Q Challenge on Twitter to find out and earn a chance to win a PowerStick (ARV $75)!

To kick off the festivities for TechEd North America next week, we’ve got a fun new game and daily sweepstakes for SQL Server fans to enter and play, whether you’re at home or at the event in New Orleans. The challenge and daily sweepstakes begins Monday, June 3^rd at 8 am CT and ends on June 6^th, and all you have to do enter the daily sweepstakes is:

• Follow the @SQLServer Twitter account;
• Beginning June 3^rd, watch for the SQL Server “answer of the day” to be posted by @SQLServer at approximately 8 am CT each day.
• From your account, reply with the correct question that corresponds to the answer of the day a la Jeopardy style to @SQLServer;
• Your tweeted reply must include the hashtag “#SQLTechEd”;
• Your entire tweeted reply should be no longer than 140 characters in length including the #SQLTechEd hashtag;
• You may only reply to the Sweepstakes answer the day on the day that it is posted; you must enter each daily prize period separately. (A “day” begins at 9 am CT and ends at 2 pm CT each day during the Sweepstakes entry period.)
• A qualifying reply is your entry into the Sweepstakes.
• You may only submit one response to the question per day. If you submit more than one response, all of your responses (including the first) will be disqualified for the day;
• Prizes are limited to one prize per promotional entrant, so if you are selected as a winner, you will be ineligible for additional prizes.

So mark your calendars for this A & Q game and sweepstakes and we’ll see you next week on Twitter!

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OFFICIAL RULES – SQL SERVER ANSWER & QUESTION SWEEPSTAKES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. COMMON TERMS USED IN THESE RULES:

These are the official rules that govern how the ‘SQL Server Answer & Question Challenge’ (“Sweepstakes”)promotion will operate. This promotion will be simply referred to as the “Sweepstakes” throughout the rest of these rules. In these rules, “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to Microsoft Corporation, the sponsor of the Sweepstakes. “You” refers to an eligible Sweepstakes entrant.

WHAT ARE THE START AND END DATES?

This challenge starts at 8 am CT on June 3, 2013 and ends at 2 pm CT on June 6, 2013.  Sweepstakes consists of 4 daily Prize Periods. Each Prize Period will begin at 8 am CT and end at 2 pm CT each day during the Entry Period. You may enter one time per prize period.

You are eligible to enter this Sweepstakes if you meet the following requirements at time of entry:

· You are professional or enthusiast with expertise in SQL Server or Business Intelligence and are 18 years of age or older; and

· If you are 18 of age or older, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, you should ask your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission prior to submitting an entry into this Sweepstakes; and

· You are NOT a resident of any of the following countries: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.

· PLEASE NOTE: U.S. export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Therefore residents of these countries / regions are not eligible to participate

· You are NOT an employee of Microsoft Corporation or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary; and

· You are NOT involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Sweepstakes; and

· You are NOT an immediate family (parent, sibling, spouse, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Sweepstakes.

· This Sweepstakes is void wherever prohibited by law.

To enter the daily sweepstakes:

At 8:00 am CT each day a new Sweepstakes “answer of the day” will be posted by @SQLServer on Twitter You will earn a Sweepstakes Entry when you do all of the following within the Entry Period:

1. Sign in to your Twitter account. If you do not have an account, visit www.twitter.com to create one. Twitter accounts are free.

2. Once logged into your Twitter account follow the links and instructions to become a follower of SQLServer at @SQLServer.

3. From your own Twitter account, reply to @SQLServer with the correct question that corresponds to the posted Sweepstakes answer of the day. You may only reply to the Sweepstakes question the day it is posted; you must enter each daily prize period separately

4. Your tweet must contain the #SQLTechEd hashtag to be eligible for entry and your tweet must not be longer than 140 characters, including the #SQLTechEd  hashtags

Limit one Entry per person and Twitter account per daily Prize Period. For the purposes of these Official Rules, a “day” begins at 8 am PT and ends at 2 pm each day during the Entry Period. If you reply with more than one answer per day, all replies received from you that day will be automatically disqualified.

We are not responsible for entries that we do not receive for any reason, or for entries that we receive but are not decipherable for any reason, or for entries that do not include your Twitter handle.

We will automatically disqualify:

• Any incomplete or illegible entry; and
• Any entries that we receive from you that do not meet the requirements described above.

WINNER SELECTION AND PRIZES

On or around 3 pm CT each day beginning June 3 and ending on June 5, we, or a company acting under our authorization, will randomly select one winner from among all eligible Entries received in the daily Prize Period to win a PowerStick, approximate retail value, US$75. On or around 3 pm CT on June 6^th, we or a company acting under our authorization will randomly select one winner from among all eligible Entries received in the daily Prize Period to win a PowerStick and SQL Server branded hooded sweatshirt, total ARV of $150.  Prizes are limited to one prize per promotional entrant, so if you are selected as a winner during this promotion, you will be ineligible for additional prizes.

Selected winners will be notified via a Direct Message (DM) on Twitter within 48 business hours of the daily drawing. The winner must reply to our Direct Message (DM) within 48 hours of notification via Direct Message on Twitter. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, or you do not respond within 48 business hours, we will award the prize to an alternate winner as randomly selected. Only one alternate winner will be selected and notified; after which, if unclaimed, the prize will remain unclaimed. Prizes may be delivered to the winner in person if they are present at the Tech Ed North America event, or they may be shipped to the winner within two weeks of each winner’s confirmed response.

If you are a potential winner, we may require you to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability/Publicity Release within 10 days of notification. If you are a potential winner and you are 18 or older, but are considered a minor in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent or legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf. If you do not complete the required forms as instructed and/or return the required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you and select an alternate, randomly selected winner.

If you are confirmed as a winner of this Sweepstakes:

• You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services. However, if for any reason an advertised prize is unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value; and
• You may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we will award it to an alternate potential winner; and
• If you accept a prize, you will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes related to accepting the prize; and
• If you are otherwise eligible for this Sweepstakes, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, we may award the prize to your parent/legal guardian on your behalf.

WHAT ARE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING? 
Your odds of winning this Challenge depend on the number of eligible entries we receive and the creativity of the answers as judged by a panel of three (3) members of the Business Intelligence Team at Microsoft.

WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS ARE YOU AGREEING TO BY ENTERING THIS CHALLENGE? 
By entering this Challenge you agree:

· To abide by these Official Rules; and

· To release and hold harmless Microsoft, and its respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Challenge or any prize won; and

· That Microsoft’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Challenge; and

· That by accepting a prize, Microsoft may use of your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Challenge, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law

WHAT LAWS GOVERN THE WAY THIS CHALLENGE IS EXECUTED AND ADMINISTRATED? 
This Challenge will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Challenge.

WHAT IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS AND THE CHALLENGE CAN’T RUN AS PLANNED? 
If cheating, a virus, bug, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Challenge, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Challenge. This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Challenge, we reserve the right to select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Challenge. If you attempt to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Challenge by hacking or by cheating or committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may ban you from participating in any of our future Challenge, so please play fairly.

HOW CAN YOU FIND OUT WHO WON? 
To find out who won, send an email to v-daconn@microsoft.com by June, 30, 2013 with the subject line: “SQL Server A&Q Winners”

WHO IS SPONSORING THIS CHALLENGE? 
Microsoft Corporation 
One Microsoft Way 
Redmond, WA 98052