The 2010 Crosswords LA tournament has passed into the annals of history. Here's a summary:
- 93 competitors + 17 paid spectators + 29 volunteers
- 6 puzzles, all by California constructors (4 of whom were in attendance), edited and donated by Will Shortz (Thanks, Will!)
- 1 broken puzzle clock (= ~15 minutes of sheer panic on the part of the tournament organizer)
- 81 prizes from 9 corporate donors (not including the Pentel mechanical pencils and the "Kencils")
- 120 lunches and beverages (for competitors, spectators, and all-day volunteers)
- 192 BigMouth chocolates (used for one giant, chocolate crossword puzzle)
- 324 OREO cookies (the mascot cookie of the crossword world)
- 2 group games (emceed by NPL members Todd McClary and John Suarez)
- 3 giant boards (used by John Beck, Jon Berman, and Eric Maddy)
- 2 fantastic finals announcers (Thanks, Andrea Carla Michaels and Tyler Hinman!)
- 1 champion (Congratulations, Eric!)
- 5 seconds of difference between the champion and the second and third place winners
- 1 semi-automated scoring system that worked pretty well (and will work better at the next tournament)
- ~$1,400 to be donated to Reading to Kids (still an estimate as all bills haven't come in)
You can click Results/Scores to see all the scores, or you can click Results/MyScore to see your grids for the three puzzles that were scored using the semi-automated imaging system.
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venue
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Five puzzles, lunch, and a head-to-head-to-head final
Unpublished NY Times puzzles donated by Will Shortz
Loyola Marymount University - Hilton 100
Saturday, May 1, 2010, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Check-in and on-site registration opens at 10:00 AM
Free parking
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to benefit
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This event will benefit “Reading to Kids,” which inspires underserved children
with a love of reading — enriching their lives and opportunities for future success.
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Competitive divisions |
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Rookie: I think the event sounds fun. I'm new to tournaments.
Regular: I'm a dedicated solver. I enjoy tournaments, but don't place in the top 20.
Expert: I want to square off against the very best out there.
Doubles: I want to complete the puzzles with a friend.
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| Non-competitive division |
Spectator: I enjoy puzzles and want to play without being scored.
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| How much |
The 2010 Crosswords LA event has already taken place.
Please check back in early 2011 for news of our third annual event.
Competitors: $30 for individuals; $50 for teams of two.
Includes lunch, scored puzzles, an entrant gift pack, and prize eligibility.
Spectators: $15.
Includes lunch, unscored puzzles, and a seat in the tournament room.
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The Finals will feature live play-by-play and color commentary by Tyler Hinman and Andrea Carla Michaels.
Tyler is a crossword constructor and a five-time American Crossword Puzzle Tournament champion; his
puzzles often appear in The New York Times, The Onion, and other publications. Andrea is a former
television writer and stand-up comedienne whose puzzles frequently appear in The New York Times.
The finals, scheduled for 3:00 PM, are open to the public at no charge.
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Donors
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