diff --git a/app/controllers/crackme.py b/app/controllers/crackme.py
index f87b4d4..ff7e7f2 100644
--- a/app/controllers/crackme.py
+++ b/app/controllers/crackme.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 )
 from app.models.solve import (
     solve_by_user_and_crackme, solve_create, count_solves_by_crackme,
+    claim_first_blood_notification,
     solves_by_crackme
 )
 from app.models.flag_submission import (
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@
     is_unsupported_archive, is_zip_archive,
 )
 from app.services.discord import (
-    notify_flag_solved, notify_flag_submission, notify_new_crackme
+    notify_first_blood, notify_new_crackme
 )
 from app.services.flag import (
     FLAG_FORMAT_HINT, flags_match, is_valid_flag_format, normalize_flag
@@ -489,13 +490,6 @@ def log_result(result, user_hexid=None):
         except Exception as e:
             # Audit logging must not turn a validation response into a 500.
             print(f"Error logging flag submission: {e}")
-        try:
-            notify_flag_submission(
-                username, crackme.get('name', ''), hexid, flag, result
-            )
-        except Exception as e:
-            # Discord must never affect validation or its database audit trail.
-            print(f"Discord flag-audit notification error: {e}")
 
     try:
         crackme = crackme_by_hexid(hexid)
@@ -544,7 +538,7 @@ def log_result(result, user_hexid=None):
 
     points = points_for_solve(crackme)
     try:
-        solve_create(user_hexid, hexid, points, solve_difficulty(crackme))
+        solve = solve_create(user_hexid, hexid, points, solve_difficulty(crackme))
     except Exception as e:
         print(f"Error recording solve: {e}")
         abort(500)
@@ -552,19 +546,25 @@ def log_result(result, user_hexid=None):
     log_result('correct', user_hexid)
 
     try:
-        notify_flag_solved(
-            username, crackme.get('name', ''), hexid, points
-        )
+        first_blood = claim_first_blood_notification(hexid, solve['hexid'])
     except Exception as e:
-        print(f"Discord solve notification error: {e}")
+        print(f"First-blood claim error: {e}")
+        first_blood = False
 
-    try:
-        notification_add(
-            username,
-            f"Correct flag for '<a href=\"/crackme/{hexid}\">{html_escape(crackme.get('name', ''))}</a>' - {points} points earned!"
-        )
-    except Exception as e:
-        print(f"Notification error: {e}")
+    if first_blood:
+        try:
+            notification_add(
+                crackme['author'],
+                f"Your crackme '<a href=\"/crackme/{hexid}\">{html_escape(crackme.get('name', ''))}</a>' "
+                f"was solved for the first time by {html_escape(username)}!"
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"First-blood author notification error: {e}")
+
+        try:
+            notify_first_blood(username, crackme.get('name', ''), hexid, points)
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Discord first-blood notification error: {e}")
 
     flash(f'Correct! You earned {points} points.', FLASH_SUCCESS)
     return redirect(f'/crackme/{hexid}')
diff --git a/app/models/solve.py b/app/models/solve.py
index c0bb42f..bec08dc 100644
--- a/app/models/solve.py
+++ b/app/models/solve.py
@@ -189,6 +189,23 @@ def count_solves_by_crackme(crackme_hexid):
     )
 
 
+def claim_first_blood_notification(crackme_hexid, solve_hexid):
+    """Claim the announcement once, and only for the earliest recorded solve."""
+    if not check_connection():
+        raise ErrUnavailable("Database is unavailable")
+
+    first = get_collection('solve').find_one(
+        {'crackme_hexid': crackme_hexid}, sort=[('_id', 1)]
+    )
+    if not first or first['hexid'] != solve_hexid:
+        return False
+
+    return get_collection('crackme').find_one_and_update(
+        {'hexid': crackme_hexid, 'first_blood_notified': {'$ne': True}},
+        {'$set': {'first_blood_notified': True}},
+    ) is not None
+
+
 def solves_by_crackme(crackme_hexid):
     """Return a crackme's solves, oldest first."""
     if not check_connection():
diff --git a/app/services/discord.py b/app/services/discord.py
index f6cd15f..145538c 100644
--- a/app/services/discord.py
+++ b/app/services/discord.py
@@ -192,9 +192,9 @@ def notify_new_solution(username: str, crackme_name: str) -> bool:
     return send_private_notification(embed=embed)
 
 
-def notify_flag_solved(username: str, crackme_name: str,
+def notify_first_blood(username: str, crackme_name: str,
                        crackme_hexid: str, points: int) -> bool:
-    """Announce a successful auto-validated solve in the public channel."""
+    """Announce the first successful solve in the public channel."""
     timestamp = (
         datetime.datetime.utcnow()
         .replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ def notify_flag_solved(username: str, crackme_name: str,
     )
     base_url = get_base_url()
     embed = {
-        "title": "Crackme Solved",
-        "description": "A player submitted the correct flag",
+        "title": "First Blood",
+        "description": "The first player solved this challenge",
         "color": 65280,
         "fields": [
             {
@@ -227,44 +227,6 @@ def notify_flag_solved(username: str, crackme_name: str,
     return send_to_webhook(get_public_webhook(), embed=embed)
 
 
-def notify_flag_submission(username: str, crackme_name: str,
-                           crackme_hexid: str, submitted_flag: str,
-                           result: str) -> bool:
-    """Send every flag attempt, including its value, to the audit channel."""
-    timestamp = (
-        datetime.datetime.utcnow()
-        .replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
-        .isoformat(timespec='milliseconds')
-        .replace('+00:00', 'Z')
-    )
-    base_url = get_base_url()
-    # Discord limits an embed field to 1,024 characters. The database remains
-    # the canonical, untruncated audit record.
-    displayed_flag = submitted_flag[:1021] + "..." if len(submitted_flag) > 1024 else submitted_flag
-    embed = {
-        "title": "Flag Submitted",
-        "description": "Auto-validation attempt recorded",
-        "color": 65280 if result == 'correct' else 16744448,
-        "fields": [
-            {
-                "name": "Challenge",
-                "value": f"[{crackme_name}]({base_url}/crackme/{crackme_hexid})",
-                "inline": True,
-            },
-            {
-                "name": "User",
-                "value": f"[{username}]({base_url}/user/{username})",
-                "inline": True,
-            },
-            {"name": "Result", "value": result, "inline": True},
-            {"name": "Submitted flag", "value": displayed_flag or "(empty)", "inline": False},
-        ],
-        "footer": {"text": "CrackMes.One Internal Audit"},
-        "timestamp": timestamp,
-    }
-    return send_private_notification(embed=embed)
-
-
 def send_moderation_notification(embed: dict) -> bool:
     """Send a notification to the moderation Discord channel.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_services_and_failures.py b/tests/test_services_and_failures.py
index f08e55c..9392893 100644
--- a/tests/test_services_and_failures.py
+++ b/tests/test_services_and_failures.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def test_pending_discord_notifications_use_private_channel(app):
     discord.init_discord(app, {'Enabled': False})
 
 
-def test_flag_discord_notifications_use_public_and_audit_channels(app):
+def test_first_blood_discord_notification_uses_public_channel(app):
     from app.services import discord
 
     discord.init_discord(app, {
@@ -71,23 +71,13 @@ def test_flag_discord_notifications_use_public_and_audit_channels(app):
         'WebhookPrivate': 'https://discord.test/private',
     })
     with patch.object(discord, 'send_to_webhook', return_value=True) as send:
-        assert discord.notify_flag_solved('bob', 'Challenge', 'abc', 300) is True
+        assert discord.notify_first_blood('bob', 'Challenge', 'abc', 300) is True
         assert send.call_args.args[0].endswith('/public')
         public_embed = send.call_args.kwargs['embed']
-        assert public_embed['title'] == 'Crackme Solved'
+        assert public_embed['title'] == 'First Blood'
         assert public_embed['fields'][0]['value'] == '[Challenge](http://localhost/crackme/abc)'
         assert public_embed['fields'][1]['value'] == '[bob](http://localhost/user/bob)'
 
-    with patch.object(discord, 'send_private_notification', return_value=True) as send:
-        assert discord.notify_flag_submission(
-            'bob', 'Challenge', 'abc', 'CMO{attempt}', 'incorrect'
-        ) is True
-        audit_embed = send.call_args.kwargs['embed']
-        assert audit_embed['title'] == 'Flag Submitted'
-        assert audit_embed['fields'][0]['value'] == '[Challenge](http://localhost/crackme/abc)'
-        assert audit_embed['fields'][1]['value'] == '[bob](http://localhost/user/bob)'
-        assert audit_embed['fields'][2]['value'] == 'incorrect'
-        assert audit_embed['fields'][3]['value'] == 'CMO{attempt}'
     discord.init_discord(app, {'Enabled': False})
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_solves.py b/tests/test_solves.py
index 60faeae..4b28321 100644
--- a/tests/test_solves.py
+++ b/tests/test_solves.py
@@ -204,14 +204,9 @@ def test_auto_validation_points_default_to_selected_difficulty(
 def test_correct_flag_records_a_solve_and_awards_points(
         bob_client, db, bob, flagged_crackme, monkeypatch):
     from app.controllers import crackme as crackme_controller
-    audit_notifications = []
     solve_notifications = []
     monkeypatch.setattr(
-        crackme_controller, 'notify_flag_submission',
-        lambda *args: audit_notifications.append(args),
-    )
-    monkeypatch.setattr(
-        crackme_controller, 'notify_flag_solved',
+        crackme_controller, 'notify_first_blood',
         lambda *args: solve_notifications.append(args),
     )
     response = bob_client.post(f"/crackme/{flagged_crackme['hexid']}/solve",
@@ -223,21 +218,51 @@ def test_correct_flag_records_a_solve_and_awards_points(
     assert solve['crackme_hexid'] == flagged_crackme['hexid']
     assert solve['points'] == 300
     assert solve['difficulty'] == 3
-    assert db.notifications.count_documents({'user': 'bob'}) == 1
+    assert db.notifications.count_documents({'user': 'bob'}) == 0
+    author_notification = db.notifications.find_one({'user': 'alice'})
+    assert author_notification['seen'] is False
+    assert 'was solved for the first time by bob' in author_notification['text']
     submission = db.flag_submission.find_one({})
     assert submission['user_hexid'] == _hexid(bob)
     assert submission['username'] == 'bob'
     assert submission['crackme_hexid'] == flagged_crackme['hexid']
     assert submission['submitted_flag'] == FLAG
     assert submission['result'] == 'correct'
-    assert audit_notifications == [(
-        'bob', flagged_crackme['name'], flagged_crackme['hexid'], FLAG, 'correct'
-    )]
     assert solve_notifications == [(
         'bob', flagged_crackme['name'], flagged_crackme['hexid'], 300
     )]
 
 
+def test_only_first_solver_gets_public_announcement(
+        app, bob_client, db, bob, flagged_crackme, monkeypatch):
+    from app.controllers import crackme as crackme_controller
+
+    announcements = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        crackme_controller, 'notify_first_blood',
+        lambda *args: announcements.append(args),
+    )
+    path = f"/crackme/{flagged_crackme['hexid']}/solve"
+    bob_client.post(path, data={'flag': FLAG})
+
+    db.user.insert_one({'name': 'charlie', 'email': 'charlie@example.test'})
+    charlie_client = app.test_client()
+    with charlie_client.session_transaction() as session:
+        session['name'] = 'charlie'
+        session['email'] = 'charlie@example.test'
+    charlie_client.post(path, data={'flag': FLAG})
+    bob_client.post(path, data={'flag': FLAG})
+
+    assert db.solve.count_documents({'crackme_hexid': flagged_crackme['hexid']}) == 2
+    assert len(announcements) == 1
+    assert announcements[0][0] == 'bob'
+    assert db.notifications.count_documents({'user': 'alice'}) == 1
+    assert db.user.find_one({'name': 'alice'})['unread_notifications'] == 1
+    assert db.crackme.find_one({'hexid': flagged_crackme['hexid']})[
+        'first_blood_notified'
+    ] is True
+
+
 def test_solve_snapshots_fractional_difficulty(
         bob_client, db, bob, flagged_crackme):
     db.crackme.update_one(
@@ -257,14 +282,9 @@ def test_solve_snapshots_fractional_difficulty(
 def test_wrong_flag_records_nothing(
         bob_client, db, bob, flagged_crackme, monkeypatch):
     from app.controllers import crackme as crackme_controller
-    audit_notifications = []
     solve_notifications = []
     monkeypatch.setattr(
-        crackme_controller, 'notify_flag_submission',
-        lambda *args: audit_notifications.append(args),
-    )
-    monkeypatch.setattr(
-        crackme_controller, 'notify_flag_solved',
+        crackme_controller, 'notify_first_blood',
         lambda *args: solve_notifications.append(args),
     )
     response = bob_client.post(f"/crackme/{flagged_crackme['hexid']}/solve",
@@ -276,10 +296,6 @@ def test_wrong_flag_records_nothing(
     submission = db.flag_submission.find_one({})
     assert submission['submitted_flag'] == 'CMO{nope}'
     assert submission['result'] == 'incorrect'
-    assert audit_notifications == [(
-        'bob', flagged_crackme['name'], flagged_crackme['hexid'],
-        'CMO{nope}', 'incorrect'
-    )]
     assert solve_notifications == []