Section 6: Scoring
6.1 End Scoring
After all 16 stones (10 in Mixed Doubles) have been delivered in an end, the vice-skips from each team jointly determine the score. Only one team can score per end. The team with the stone closest to the tee (button) scores one point for each of its stones that is closer to the tee than the opponent's closest stone.
6.2 Determining Position
A stone must be touching or within the 12-foot ring (the outermost circle of the house) to be eligible for scoring. The ring lines themselves are part of the house. When it is unclear which stone is closest to the tee, officials use a measuring device that pivots from the tee to determine the distance from the centre of each stone to the tee. Measurements are taken from the tee outward.
6.3 Blank Ends
If no stones from either team are in the house at the conclusion of an end, the end is blanked (no score is recorded). The team that had the hammer retains it for the next end. Deliberate blanking is a common strategic tactic: a team with the hammer may intentionally remove all stones to preserve last-stone advantage for the following end.
6.4 Extra Ends
If the score is tied after the regulation number of ends (10 or 8), extra ends are played until one team leads at the conclusion of an end. Each team receives 4 minutes 30 seconds of additional thinking time per extra end. The hammer for the first extra end follows the standard rule (awarded to the team that did not score in the last regulation end).
6.5 Concession
A team may concede the game at any point by offering a handshake to the opposing skip. Concession typically occurs when the score deficit is too large to overcome in the remaining ends. Conceding is not considered unsportsmanlike and is in keeping with the Spirit of Curling.