Show that there exists a positive constant $C$ such that, for all positive reals $a$ and $b$ with $a + b$ being an integer, we have $$\left\{a^3\right\} + \left\{b^3\right\} + \frac{C}{(a+b)^6} \le 2. $$Here $\{x\} = x - \lfloor x\rfloor$ is the fractional part of $x$. Proposed by Li4 and Untro368.

Let $H$ be the orthocenter of triangle $ABC$, and $AD$, $BE$, $CF$ be the three altitudes of triangle $ABC$. Let $G$ be the orthogonal projection of $D$ onto $EF$, and $DD'$ be the diameter of the circumcircle of triangle $DEF$. Line $AG$ and the circumcircle of triangle $ABC$ intersect again at point $X$. Let $Y$ be the intersection of $GD'$ and $BC$, while $Z$ be the intersection of $AD'$ and $GH$. Prove that $X$, $Y$, and $Z$ are collinear. Proposed by Li4 and Untro368.

Two squids are forced to participate in a game. Before it begins, they will be informed of all the rules, and can discuss their strategies freely. Then, they will be locked in separate rooms, and be given distinct positive integers no larger than $2023$ as their IDs respectively. The two squids then take turns alternatively; on one's turn, the squid chooses one of the following: 1. announce a positive integer, which will be heard by the other squid; 2. declare which squid has the larger ID. If correct, they win and are released together; otherwise, they lose and are fried together. Find the smallest positive integer $N$ so that, no matter what IDs the squids have been given, they can always win in a finite number of turns, and the sum of the numbers announced during the game is no larger than $N$.

Let $ABC$ be a scalene triangle with circumcenter $O$ and orthocenter $H$. Let $AYZ$ be another triangle sharing the vertex $A$ such that its circumcenter is $H$ and its orthocenter is $O$. Show that if $Z$ is on $BC$, then $A,H,O,Y$ are concyclic. Proposed by usjl

Find all positive integers $a$, $b$ and $c$ such that $ab$ is a square, and \[a+b+c-3\sqrt[3]{abc}=1.\] Proposed by usjl

Let $N$ be a positive integer. Kingdom Wierdo has $N$ castles, with at most one road between each pair of cities. There are at most four guards on each road. To cost down, the King of Wierdos makes the following policy: (1) For any three castles, if there are roads between any two of them, then any of these roads cannot have four guards. (2) For any four castles, if there are roads between any two of them, then for any one castle among them, the roads from it toward the other three castles cannot all have three guards. Prove that, under this policy, the total number of guards on roads in Kingdom Wierdo is smaller than or equal to $N^2$. Remark: Proving that the number of guards does not exceed $cN^2$ for some $c > 1$ independent of $N$ will be scored based on the value of $c$. Proposed by usjl

Given triangle $ABC$ with $A$-excenter $I_A$, the foot of the perpendicular from $I_A$ to $BC$ is $D$. Let the midpoint of segment $I_AD$ be $M$, $T$ lies on arc $BC$(not containing $A$) satisfying $\angle BAT=\angle DAC$, $I_AT$ intersects the circumcircle of $ABC$ at $S\neq T$. If $SM$ and $BC$ intersect at $X$, the perpendicular bisector of $AD$ intersects $AC,AB$ at $Y,Z$ respectively, prove that $AX,BY,CZ$ are concurrent.