Why are some stories disqualfied and others are not?

[Jassy Melson]

The current story contest has an entrant that is over the word limit but is being allowed into the contest. The rules state plainly that a story must be from 500 to 2000 words. There have been stories disqualified in the story contest for a number of reasons--for breaking certain of the rules. The story in question clearly breaks a rule, but it is not being disqualified. It makes me wonder why. If certain of the rules in the story contest are broken but are not disqualified, what is the use of having rules?

[Scheherazade]

As we have been discussing through many PMs exchanged for four days now, Jassy, the story you mention is over the word-limit by 19 words only, which is less than 1% of the maximum word number required for this competition. Not by 700 words as you have been suggesting after counting them yourself.

For future reference, any stories that go over 2019 words will be disqualified from the competition... As well as those stories that were posted on the Forums previously.

As a side note, I have to admit I am baffled by your willingness -and determination- to see others disqualified.

[michaelsbearre]

As we have been discussing through many PMs exchanged for four days now, Jassy, the story you mention is over the word-limit by 19 words only, which is less than 1% of the maximum word number required for this competition. Not by 700 words as you have been suggesting after counting them yourself.

For future reference, any stories that go over 2019 words will be disqualified from the competition... As well as those stories that were posted on the Forums previously.

As a side note, I have to admit I am baffled by your willingness -and determination- to see others disqualified.

There should be no exemptions from the rule. The writer can easily trim their own work below 2000 words. One cannot take the competition seriously if the people organizing it aren't taking their own set of rules seriously. It discredits the competition and sets an unfair atmosphere for the writers who do accommodate the rules. Plain and simple, if the maximum limit is 2000, DO NOT send 2001. It's a rule all writers must follow if participating, therefore, no piece of work should be permitted beyond said rule.