Prior to the 2008-2009 season, NAQT made a number of changes to its official rules. Those changes are summarized below.
(Rule F.4) If time expires during a tossup, that tossup will be read to completion and both teams given a chance to answer. If it is answered correctly, that team will earn a bonus. In other words, the clock can no longer "kill" a tossup at the end of a half.
(Rule F.8) There is no longer a mandatory tossup-and-bonus-for-the-other-team penalty for trying to call a second timeout. The moderator will ignore such attempts unless they are made in an unsporting manner.
(Rule G.2) The recognition process is clarified. Basically, "minimalist" recognition like "looking at the player who has buzzed in" is explicitly acceptable.
(Rule G.6) The time allowed for teams to signal after the completion of a tossup question is increased to 3 seconds (from 2).
(Rule G.10) The assignment of interrupt penalties to players that answer without having signaled is clarified.
(Rule H.1) Determining whether or not a bonus answer was directed at the moderator is unprotestable.
(Rule I.4.1) The sense in which words can "modify" a first answer has been clarified.
(Rule I.8) Acknowledgement is made that certain answers like "John Adams" can be ruled incorrect for "John Quincy Adams" even though, in most cases, giving correct first and last names would be acceptable or at least promptable.
(Rule I.10) Answers given in an unsporting manner may be ruled incorrect.
(Rule I.11) The bulk of the former section I, which dealt with the meaning of "accurate and precise" answers in specific contexts (e.g., titles), has been moved to a separate document. The intention is to allow those Correctness Guidelines to be used by tournaments that don't otherwise use NAQT's Official Rules (including, for example, television shows that we supply).
(Rule J.2) Protest procedure is clarified. Protests must be made at the end of a half, but the indication of an intention to protest during the match is recognized and allowed.
(Rule J.6) Protests may not be lodged on the grounds that "I was correct when I buzzed" unless the answer given by the player is uniquely specified (and therefore the answer given by the packet is incorrect).