Lock a claim

Say it, set the terms with your rival, and lock it so nobody can take it back.

A claim is a call you make about the future: "Bitcoin hits $150k before 2028", "Dana finishes the marathon", "It rains at the wedding". Locking it puts it on the record, word for word, with the time you said it.

How to lock one

• Write it the way you said it. Start a new claim, type it, and say who said it. The Ref turns it into a contract with four lines: Question, Deadline, Counts as yes and Settled by.
• Check the contract. It's what the claim will be judged on, so fix anything that's off: a number, a date, the source. A contract that's clear today saves an argument later.
• Pick your side and how sure you are. Your confidence counts toward your track record, so be honest.
• Send the link to your rival. They see the claim, pick the other side and lock it. You can also add witnesses, friends who watch without taking a side.

Once it's locked

• No take-backs. The contract can't change after it locks, not even by us. Every version is stored with a fingerprint, so anyone can check it wasn't edited.
• A claim needs a rival. If nobody takes the other side within 7 days, it expires.
• You'll get a reminder before the deadline, and a notification when there's a verdict.

Claims that can't be locked

Some claims can't be settled fairly, so the Ref asks you to rewrite them before they lock: vague ones ("soon", "to the moon"), matters of taste ("better", "nicer"), feelings, and anything about harming a person. The Ref tells you what to fix, like "Say how much, as a number". See why a claim can't be settled.