Year 41 • 2018 • 674 contestants
| 1st | Erik Agard, Gaithersburg, MD |
| 2nd | Dan Feyer, San Francisco, CA |
| 3rd | David Plotkin, Gainesville, FL |
| Div B | Marie desJardins, Fulton, MD |
| Div C | Adam Doctoroff, Brookline, MA |
| Div D | Stacey Ustian, New York, NY |
| Div E | Oliver Roeder, Brooklyn, NY |
| Junior | Erik Agard, Madison, WI |
| Fifties | Marie desJardins, Fulton, MD |
| Sixties | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| Seventies | Rocky Schwarz, Riverdale, NY |
| Seniors | Thomas Hennessy, Freehold, NJ |
| Nineties | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Adam Doctoroff, Brookline, MA |
Richard Rogan, the crossword editor of The Times of London, spoke on Friday night. A cryptic crossword competition, with puzzles made by Rogan (U.K.) and Rich Silvestri (U.S.), was won by Catherine Cevoli and Jon Delfin, respectively. On Saturday night Max and Emy Zener performed a 10-minute comedy, "Two Puzzles Walk Into a Bar," introduced by the playwright, Donna Hoke. Nancy Salomon was awarded the 3rd "MEmoRiaL" prize. HBO filmed the tournament for the program "Real Sports," slated to air in May. In a stunning "A" division final, 24-year-old Erik Agard defeated defending champion Dan Feyer in a record time of 4 minutes 58 seconds.
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Year 40 • 2017 • 619 contestants
| 1st | Dan Feyer, San Francisco, CA |
| 2nd | Joon Pahk, Somerville, MA |
| 3rd | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| Div B | Brian McCarthy, Glenmont, NY |
| Div C | Martin Miller, Jeffersonville, PA |
| Div D | Anne Flinchbaugh, Seattle, WA |
| Div E | Ilana Lifshitz, New York, NY |
| Junior | Erik Agard, Madison, WI |
| Fifties | Al Sanders, Loveland, CO |
| Sixties | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| Seventies | Steve Tice, Great Falls, VA |
| Seniors | Eric Reinhardt, Jacksonville, FL |
| Rookie | Grayson Holmes, Seattle, WA |
The event was held concurrently with the 2nd World Palindrome Championship, which was held over two days and won by Martin Clear of Sydney, Australia (
wrap-up). The Saturday night program included a "Crossword Pub Trivia" game by John Chaneski and Tony Hightower; a report by Matt Ginsberg on Dr. Fill; and presentation of the 2nd "MEmoRiaL" award to Manny Nosowsky, with remarks by Marie Haley and a
film tribute to Manny by Patrick Creadon. NBC News filmed the playoffs for a
story that aired on April 21. In an exciting "A" division playoff, five-time champion Tyler Hinman finished first, but with a letter wrong — leaving an opening for Dan Feyer to become ACPT champion for the seventh time.
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Year 39 • 2016 • 575 contestants
| 1st | Howard Barkin, Hillsborough, NJ |
| 2nd | Dan Feyer, San Francisco, CA |
| 3rd | David Plotkin, Gainesville, FL |
| Div B | Doug Peterson, Pasadena, CA |
| Div C | Christopher Baker, Columbia, CT |
| Div D | Claire Rimkus, Southborough, MA |
| Div E | Dean Romano, East Northport, NY |
| Junior | Sam Ezersky, Reston, VA |
| Fifties | Al Sanders, Loveland, CO |
| Sixties | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| Seventies | Neil Singer, Washington, DC |
| Senior | Thomas Hennessy, Freehold, NJ |
| Nineties | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Miriam Sicherman, Brooklyn, NY |
PuzzleSocial doubled the prize pool to $15,000. Eric Berlin conducted a giant Escape Room on Friday night, in which two-person teams raced to solve a series of word puzzles to escape from the Stamford Marriott ballroom. On Saturday night Patrick Creadon presented a film tribute to the late Merl Reagle, including never-before-seen outtakes from "Wordplay." Jeff Walters told the touching story of a crossword that Merl made specially for his cancer-stricken wife and published as a surprise for her in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The audience competed on puzzles from "Idiotest," the popular Game Show Network program. On Sunday Merl's wife, Marie Haley, presented the first "MEmoRiaL" (=Merl Memorial) award for lifetime achievement in crossword construction to Maura Jacobson, which her husband, Jerry, accepted on Maura's behalf. Dr. Fill finished in 41st place. In the "A" division playoffs, Howard Barkin upset six-time champion Dan Feyer to take home the $7,000 grand prize.
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Year 38 • 2015 • 567 contestants
| 1st | Dan Feyer, San Francisco, CA |
| 2nd | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| 3rd | Howard Barkin, Hillsborough, NJ |
| Div B | Andrew Feist, Newport News, VA |
| Div C | David Steinberg, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA |
| Div D | Jamie Womack, Weaverville, NC |
| Div E | John Morgan, Nantucket, MA |
| Junior | David Plotkin, Gainesville, FL |
| Fifties | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Sixties | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| Seventies | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Senior | Arthur Schulman, Charlottesville, VA |
| Rookie | Vic Chandhok, New Orleans, VA |
The tournament returned to the Stamford Marriott, where it began. The Friday night program featured two multimedia crosswords, solved by teams on iPads, in which about two-thirds of the clues contained audio, visual, or video components. The app was provided by Serhiy Grabarchuk and
unipuzzle.com. Saturday night featured the world premiere of a documentary short,
"A Man, A Plan, A Palindrome," by Vince Clemente, followed by a 10th-anniversary celebration of the filming of "Wordplay," with the director and producer, Patrick Creadon and Christine O'Malley. Dr. Fill finished in 55th place. In the "A" division playoffs, Dan Feyer beat Tyler Hinman by a split second to become the first person to win the ACPT six times in a row.
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Year 37 • 2014 • 580 contestants
| 1st | Dan Feyer, San Francisco, CA |
| 2nd | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| 3rd | Howard Barkin, Hillsborough, NJ |
| Div B | Benjamin Coe, Kissimmee, FL |
| Div C | Michael Megargee, Arlington, VA |
| Div D | Chris Popp, Maplewood, NJ |
| Div E | Maureen Kildee, Berkeley, CA |
| Junior | Erik Agard, Gaithersburg, MD |
| Fifties | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Sixties | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Seventies | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Senior | Bob Rubin, New York, NY |
| Rookie | Michael Megargee, Arlington, VA |
A Carnival of Puzzles was held Friday night, in which 10 different puzzlemakers presented original, timed word puzzles. Saturday evening featured presentations by Matt Ginsberg (Dr. Fill 3.0), David Steinberg (Pre-Shortzian Project update), and Will Shortz ("Clever Clues" game). Will announced that the tournament would be returning to Stamford in 2015. Dan Feyer won for the fifth year in a row, tying Tyler Hinman's record of consecutive wins. Tyler finished second. Katy Steinmetz wrote about their rivalry in Time.
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Year 36 • 2013 • 572 contestants
| 1st | Dan Feyer, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| 3rd | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| Div B | Robert Mackey, Eatontown, NJ |
| Div C | Benjamin Coe, Kissimmee, FL |
| Div D | Vegavahini Subramanyan, Rockville, MD |
| Div E | Matthew Paronto, Wilder, VT |
| Junior | David Plotkin, Starkville, MS |
| Fifties | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Sixties | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Seventies | Len Elliott, Auburn, WA |
| Senior | Bob Rubin, New York, NY |
| Rookie | Glen Ryan, Taftville, CT |
Special events included eight Arthur Wynne puzzles from the New York World, 1913-14, talks by Michelle Arnot and David Steinberg, and a cryptic competition, won by Mark Goodliffe, six-time British crossword champion. Matt Ginsberg's crossword solving program, Dr. Fill, competed unofficially and finished in 104th place. Comedian Ophira Eisenberg, the host of NPR's "Ask Me Another," joined Greg Pliska to do the playoff commentary. Dan Feyer won for the fourth year in a row. Anne Erdmann made the finals for the fourth year in a row, finishing second.
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Year 35 • 2012 • 592 contestants
| 1st | Dan Feyer, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| 3rd | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Div B | John Beck, Torrance, CA |
| Div C | Guy Tabachnik, Providence, RI |
| Div D | Benjamin Aisen, New York, NY |
| Div E | Alex Allain, Somerville, MA |
| Junior | David Plotkin, Starkville, MS |
| Fifties | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Seventies | Neil Singer, Washington, DC |
| Senior | Jane Blanshard, Stores, CT |
| Rookie | Erik Agard, Gaithersburg, MD |
Dr. Fill, Matt Ginsberg's crossword-solving program, was the talk of the tournament. It was the subject of a front-page
article in the New York Times. On Saturday night Matt gave a demonstration of Dr. Fill's performance on Puzzles #1-#6. Everyone who outscored Dr. Fill on Puzzles #1-#7 won an "I Beat Dr. Fill" button. In the end Dr. Fill was slammed by Puzzles #2 and #5, but still finished impressively in 141st place. Other highlights of the weekend were the 1st World Palindrome Championship (won by Mark Saltveit) and a PuzzleNation team puzzle-solving extravaganza by Eric Berlin and Jeffrey Harris. Liane Hansen, former host of NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday," and composer/puzzlemaker Greg Pliska provided the playoff commentary.
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Year 34 • 2011 • 655 contestants
| 1st | Dan Feyer, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| 3rd | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Div B | David Plotkin, Mississippi State, MS |
| Div C | Jeffrey Dubner, Brooklyn, NY |
| Div D | Jeff Stacey, Farmington Hills, MI |
| Div E | Joseph Longa, Washington, DC |
| Junior | David Plotkin, Mississippi State, MS |
| Fifties | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Seventies | Arthur Schulman, Charlottesville, VA |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Andrew Snyder, Maynard, MA |
A U.S. vs. U.K. cryptic crossword contest, featuring one puzzle made in each country, was held on Friday night. Britain’s Mark Goodliffe won, finishing first on both puzzles. Other weekend highlights were a crossword magic performance by David Kwong, a team puzzle extravaganza based on TV’s “Amazing Race” by Greg Pliska and John Chaneski, and a crossword play, “Life Is Shortz,” written and directed by Lee Marcus. BIC and Penny Publications sponsored the tournament for the first time. Cartoonist Roz Chast presented the prizes. Dan Feyer won for the second year in a row.
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Year 33 • 2010 • 643 contestants
| 1st | Dan Feyer, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Howard Barkin, Hillsborough, NJ |
| 3rd | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Div B | Joon Pahk, Somerville, MA |
| Div C | Louis Lana, New York, NY |
| Div D | Beth Walsh, Lenexa, KS |
| Div E | Ryan Hecht, Jackson Heights, NY |
| Junior | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| Fifties | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman,Chevy Chase, MD |
| Seventies | Julie von Haam,Greensboro, GA |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael,Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Joon Pahk, Somerville, MA |
Highlights of the weekend included a new hourlong Sunday morning variety show, “Crossworders Got Talent,” featuring music, dance, games, and comedy performed by contestants and officials. The Friday and Saturday night games included “Double Trouble” by Eric Berlin; “Listmania!” by Greg Pliska, Joshua Kosman, and Ken Stern; and “Who Are You?,” a musical quiz by Michael Littman and Marie desJardins, with piano accompaniment by Jon Delfin. Magnus Palm, the editor-in-chief of Sweden’s Bonnier Korsord magazines, led a “Swedish Call My Bluff.” The awards lunch was discontinued. Patrick Creadon, the director of “Wordplay,” presented the prizes. Dan Feyer won the tournament. Five-time winner Tyler Hinman, 25, finished fourth, out of the playoffs, but took the Junior trophy one more time.
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Year 32 • 2009 • 675 contestants
| 1st | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| 2nd | Trip Payne, Boca Raton, FL |
| 3rd | Francis Heaney, Brooklyn, NY |
| Div B | Dan Feyer, New York, NY |
| Div C | Mark Dixon, Wilmington, DE |
| Div D | Jeremy Horwitz, San Francisco, CA |
| Div E | Brian Cimmet, Jackson Heights, NY |
| Junior | Tyler Hinman, San Francisco, CA |
| Fifties | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Seventies | Jane Blanshard, Storrs, CT |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Roberta Strauss, Pittsburgh, PA |
Thanks to a new computer program by Matt Ginsberg, the contestants' solutions were marked by judges with special pens and then scanned into a computer for automatic scoring. Contestants could visit the tournament website to see scans of their own puzzles to check for accuracy of the judging and satisfy their curiosity. The Friday night program included a panel discussion on "Blogging Crosswords," with Amy Reynaldo (a k a Crossword Fiend), Michael Sharp (Rex Parker), Ryan Hecht/Brian Cimmet (of Ryan and Brian Do Crosswords), and Jim Horne (of Wordplay). Tetsuya Miyamoto, the inventor of KenKen, introduced the new Japanese logic puzzle, and Amanda Yesnowitz sang an original parody about it. This was followed by a KenKen contest. Tyler Hinman, still officially a Junior, won his fifth straight ACPT in a nail-biting come-from-behind playoff victory. Robert Irvine, a celebrity chef for the Food Network, prepared the awards lunch. The lunch and the tournament as a whole were filmed for an episode of "Dinner: Impossible," to be aired in May.
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Year 31 • 2008 • 699 contestants
| 1st | Tyler Hinman, Chicago, IL |
| 2nd | Trip Payne, Boca Raton, FL |
| 3rd | Howard Barkin, Hillsborough, NJ |
| Div B | Anne Erdmann, Champaign, IL |
| Div C | Dan Feyer, New York, NY |
| Div D | Steve Poris, Monroe Township, NJ |
| Div E | Patrick Blindauer, New York, NY |
| Junior | Tyler Hinman, Chicago, IL |
| Fifties | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Seventies | Charlotte Cremin, Los Angeles, CA |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Doug Peterson, Pasadena, CA |
For the first time the tournament was held outside Stamford, Conn — at the spacious Brooklyn Bridge Marriott in New York City. The evening activities included a Brooklyn-themed crossword extravaganza by Eric Berlin, a spoof documentary "Wordploy" by Ed Stein, and a game "1 vs. 700" by John Chaneski and Greg Pliska, based on TV's "1 vs. 100." The inaugural Marilyn F. Munro Memorial Prize was awarded to the constructor whom the contestants named, by their votes, as creator of their favorite crossword of the weekend. The winner was Merl Reagle for "If I Wrote the Dictionary." A new age division was added for solvers 80 years and over, won by Miriam Raphael, champion of the second ACPT in 1979, and the winner of trophies at more ACPT's than anyone else in history. The prizes were presented by Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of public radio's "A Way With Words." Tyler Hinman, 23, became the first person to win the tournament four times in a row.
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Year 30 • 2007 • 698 contestants
| 1st | Tyler Hinman, Chicago, IL |
| 2nd | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| 3rd | Francis Heaney, Brooklyn, NY |
| Div B | Byron Walden, Santa Clara, CA |
| Div C | Katie Hamill, Arlington, MA |
| Div D | Gretchen McNeely, Portland, OR |
| Div E | Larry Finer, New York, NY |
| Junior | Tyler Hinman, Chicago, IL |
| Fifties | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Senior | Arthur Schulman, Charlottesville, VA |
| Rookie | Byron Walden, Santa Clara, CA |
Publicity from the 2006 documentary "Wordplay" produced a sharp increase in attendance to a new record. Because of crowding, the tournament was held in two ballrooms. Special events included a "Time Capsule" team game by Scott and Susan Weiss, a talk by Berit Veiset of Norway's Allers puzzle magazines, and a Norwegian-style crossword contest by Frank Longo. Director Patrick Creadon presented an hour of "Wordplay" outtakes and publicity. TV's Phil Donahue competed. The grand prize was increased to $5,000. Tyler Hinman edged out perennial runner-up Al Sanders in the playoff. Broadway composer/lyricist Richard Maltby Jr. presented the awards. Will Shortz announced that the ACPT would be moving to Brooklyn in 2008.
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Year 29 • 2006 • 498 contestants
| 1st | Tyler Hinman, Troy, NY |
| 2nd | Kiran Kedlaya, Boston, MA |
| 3rd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Div B | Adam Cohen, Brooklyn, NY |
| Div C | Ken Jennings, Murray, UT |
| Div D | Dave Mackey, Toms River, NJ |
| Div E | Jay Keller, Sunnyvale, CA |
| Junior | Tyler Hinman, Troy, NY |
| Fifties | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Senior | Eric Reinhardt, Jacksonville, FL |
| Rookie | Ken Jennings, Murray, UT |
Advance publicity for the documentary "Wordplay," which was centered around the 2005 ACPT, helped draw a record number of contestants. The movie was given a large-screen sneak preview Saturday night, preceding its theatrical release in June, courtesy of IFC Films. Wayne Gould, the New Zealander who launched the worldwide sudoku craze, delivered remarks on how he did it. This was followed by a $500-prize sudoku "smackdown," won by Byron Calver, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Ken Jennings, the all-time biggest money-winner on "Jeopardy!" ($2.5 million), presented the prizes on Sunday. He himself won the C and Rookie categories, making him the first ACPT prize presenter ever to award a prize to himself. 21-year-old Tyler Hinman won for the second time.
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Year 28 • 2005 • 455 contestants
| 1st | Tyler Hinman, Troy, NY |
| 2nd | Trip Payne, Boca Raton, FL |
| 3rd | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| Div B | Amy Reynaldo, Chicago, IL |
| Div C | Susan Hoffman, Merion Station, PA |
| Div D | Dan Wachtell, New York, NY |
| Div E | Richard Early, Dallas, TX |
| Junior | Tyler Hinman, Troy, NY |
| Fifties | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Senior | Charlotte Cremin, Los Angeles, CA |
| Rookie | Amy Reynaldo, Chicago, IL |
In a demonstration of speed crossword construction, Mike Shenk of the Wall Street Journal created a 15x15-square puzzle, from start to finish, in 60 minutes, which the contestants then raced to solve. Patrick Berry presented an acclaimed "Multimedia Crossword," solved by teams, in which every clue was in a different form. On Saturday night 12 contestants competed in "American Crossword Idol," a talent show, which by audience vote was won by Leslie Billig, singing "My Will" (a humorous tribute to Will Shortz) to the melody of "Bill" from "Show Boat."
The whole tournament was filmed for a forthcoming documentary. Tyler Hinman, a 20-year-old technology student from Rensselaer, became the youngest champion in the tournament's history.
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Year 27 • 2004 • 478 contestants
| 1st | Trip Payne, Boca Raton, FL |
| 2nd | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| Div. B | Joshua Kosman, San Francisco, CA |
| Div. C | Dan Katz, Providence, RI |
| Div. D | Jeffrey Harris, Nashville, TN |
| Div. E | Daniel Kim, Freehold, NJ |
| Junior | Roger Barkan, Laurel, MD |
| Fifties | George Henschel, Springfield, VA |
| Sixties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Neil Singer, Washington, DC |
The first prize was increased to $4,000. Mel Taub gave a humorous talk on Puns & Anagrams crosswords and his 50-year career as a puzzlemaker. The late Margaret Farrar, the first crossword editor of the New York Times, was feted with an historical slide show, puzzles, and personal tributes by puzzlemakers and editors who knew her. More than 15 members of the Farrar family attended.
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Year 26 • 2003 • 495 contestants
| 1st | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Trip Payne, Oakland Park, FL |
| 3rd | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| Div. B | Tyler Hinman, Troy, NY |
| Div. C | Frank Colangelo, Murrysville, PA |
| Div. D | Stella Daily, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Div. E | Kim Taylor, Apple Valley, CA |
| Junior | Roger Barkan, Laurel, MD |
| Fifties | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Sixties | Spencer Koppel, Chicago, IL |
| Senior | Jeannette Brennan, Washington, DC |
| Rookie | Miranda Smith, New York, NY |
Attendance rose almost 25% to a new record number. These included 188 Rookies, the most ever. The first prize was increased to $2,000. The Friday night games included a jumbo 29x29-square crossword by Frank Longo, printed on giant sheets of paper, for team solving. With the help of an interpreter, Jean Rossat — crossword constructor for the Geneva-based newspaper Le Temps and director of the French national crossword championships — spoke about French crosswords and crossword contests. Jon Delfin became the tournament's first seven-time champion.
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Year 25 • 2002 • 401 contestants
| 1st | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Zack Butler, Hartland, VT |
| 3rd | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| Div. B | Greg Brume, Somerville, MA |
| Div. C | Joan Herer, Wareham, MA |
| Div. D | Lance Nathan, Cambridge, MA |
| Div. E | Pat Whitehead, Wall, NJ |
| Junior | Andrew Feist, Durham, NC |
| Fifties | George Henschel, Springfield, VA |
| Sixties | Jeannette Brennan, Washington, DC |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Joan Herer, Wareham, MA |
Attendance jumped almost 30% to a new record number. The contest's most talked-about puzzle was by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, in which the clues appeared in story form. News coverage included "ABC World News Tonight," CNN, CNBC, USA Radio Network, The New Yorker (before the contest), and numerous newspapers. "60 Minutes" filmed all weekend for a piece on Will Shortz (which aired on Jan. 5, 2003). NPR's Liane Hansen presented the prizes. Jon Delfin became the tournament's second six-time champion.
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Year 24 • 2001 • 310 contestants
| 1st | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Patrick Jordan, Ponca City, OK |
| 3rd | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| Div. B | Matt Jones, Portland, OR |
| Div. C | Martin Cobern, Cheshire, CT |
| Div. D | Gail MacLean, Norwalk, CT |
| Div. E | Dean Sturtevant, Waltham, MA |
| Junior | Dave Tuller, Boulder, CO |
| Fifties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Sixties | Charlotte Cremin, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Martin Cobern, Cheshire, CT |
The first prize was increased to $1,500, bringing the total cash and prizes to more than $4,000. News coverage included "ABC World News Sunday," "Good Morning America," "CBS Sunday Morning," The Wall Street Journal, and other media. The champion was Ellen Ripstein, a researcher/proofreader from New York City, who won for the first time after finishing in the top five every year for the previous 18 years.
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Year 23 • 2000 • 286 contestants
| 1st | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 2nd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| Div. B | Katherine Bryant, Cambridge, MA |
| Div. C | Peter Gordon, Great Neck, NY |
| Div. D | Mark Danna, New York, NY |
| Div. E | Suzy Smith, Sea Cliff, NY |
| Junior | David Tuller, Boulder, CO |
| Fifties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Sixties | Alison Peebles, Princeton, NJ |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | David Fixmer, De Kalb, IL |
In the evening games, crossword constructor Henry Hook presented a custom-made version of "Concentration," and contestant Trip Payne presented "Who Wants to Be a Thousandaire" (in which $1 of real money was awarded for every $1,000 of "Millionaire" money). The tournament prizes were awarded by John Carpenter, the contestant who won a million dollars on the real "Millionaire" without needing any “lifelines.” Winners: 1 — Doug Hoylman (the first six-time champion, and at 56 the oldest champion ever), 2 — Ellen Ripstein (a finalist for the 12th time, but as yet never a champion), 3 — Trip Payne.
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Year 22 • 1999 • 254 contestants
| 1st | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 3rd | Al Sanders, Fort Collins, CO |
| Div. B | Ron Osher, Stamford, CT |
| Div. C | Katherine Bryant, Cambridge, MA |
| Div. D | Peter Gordon, Great Neck, NY |
| Div. E | Chris Aldrich, Levittown, NY |
| Junior | Zack Butler, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Fifties | Doug Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Sixties | Charlotte Cremin, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Katherine Bryant, Cambridge, MA |
NPR's Neal Conan and crossword constructor Merl Reagle teamed up to give informative and hilarious play-by-play commentary on the Division A and B playoffs. Puzzle #4 in the event, by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, contained a spoonerism in every clue — and was hugely popular. Results were posted from a Duke University computer program that had presolved the tournament puzzles, showing that it would have finished in 147th place overall had it been able to compete. Contestants celebrated the 75th anniversary of Simon and Schuster's first crossword puzzle book, and S&S crossword editor John Samson spoke Saturday night. The ABC News program "Nightline" filmed an entire "Friday Night Special" on the tournament, which aired on July 9.
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Year 21 • 1998 • 251 contestants
| 1st | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| 2nd | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Div. B | Robert Mackey, Oakhurst, NJ |
| Div. C | Joshua Kosman, San Francisco, CA |
| Div. D | Rich Norris, Mahopac, NY |
| Div. E | Peter Simkin, Worcester, MA |
| Junior | Zack Butler, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Fifties | John McNeill, Austin, TX |
| Sixties | Charlotte Cremin, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Robert Mackey, Oakhurst, NJ |
NPR host (and minor-league baseball announcer) Neal Conan gave play-by-play color commentary on the Division A playoff. NPR's Liane Hansen awarded the prizes. The evening entertainments included "TV Game Show Night," with custom-made versions of classic quiz and game programs by Henry Hook and Mike Shenk. For the first time, concurrent with the tournament in Stamford, solvers could compete online from home for fun.
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Year 20 • 1997 • 255 contestants
| 1st | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 2nd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| Div. B | Patty Buethe, North Merrick, NY |
| Div. C | Kiran Kedlaya, Princeton, NJ |
| Div. D | Bruce Kahn, Atlanta, GA |
| Div. E | Frank Longo, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Junior | Matt Gaffney, Frostburg, MD |
| Fifties | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Sixties | Marion Roemer, Princeton, NJ |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Matt Gaffney, Frostburg, MD |
Crossword constructors Cathy Millhauser, Merl Reagle, Mel Rosen, and Mike Shenk led a panel discussion on how to make and sell crossword puzzles. John Williams, the executive director of the National Scrabble Association, awarded the prizes. Douglas Hoylman became the event's first five-time champion; also, at 53, he tied Miriam Raphael as the oldest champion.
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Year 19 • 1996 • 239 contestants
| 1st | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 2nd | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| 3rd | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| Div. B | Randolph Ross, Syosset, NY |
| Div. C | John Carberry, Stamford, CT |
| Div. D | Jonathan Lowe, New York, NY |
| Div. E | Hugh Murphy, Hockessin, DE |
| Junior | Scott Weiss, Baltimore, MD |
| Fifties | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Sixties | Joe Clonick, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | William Michaels, Hopewell, NJ |
Special guest: Brian Greer, crossword editor of The Times of London. Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon presented an around-the-hotel puzzle scavenger hunt, leading up to team performances of marches on kazoos. Total paid attendance (contestants plus noncompeting participants) and officials was approximately 300 — a new high. Doug Hoylman won again, tying the record for most wins by an individual.
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Year 18 • 1995 • 232 contestants
| 1st | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 3rd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Div. B | Raymond Hamel, Madison, Wl |
| Div. C | Norman Davis, Englewood, NJ |
| Div. D | Zack Butler, Stowe, VT |
| Div. E | Harriet Clifton, Rochester, NY |
| Junior | Zack Butler, Stowe, VT |
| Fifties | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Sixties | Charlotte Cremin, New York, NY |
| Senior | Violet Gaffney, Brattleboro, VT |
| Rookie | Greg Pliska, Brooklyn, NY |
Two more skill divisions were added, bringing the total to five, and making 20 solving categories altogether. Ruth Biemiller, the last crossword editor of the New York Herald Tribune (1952-66), presented the prizes. Palindromist Jon Agee spoke on palindrome writing, and Leslie Billig and Jon Delfin performed newly discovered crossword songs from the 1920s. Delfin won for the fourth time.
Year 17 • 1994 • 216 contestants
| 1st | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 2nd | Al Sanders, Nashua, NH |
| 3rd | George Henschel, Springfield, VA |
| Div. B | Elaine Lippman, Hoboken, NJ |
| Div. C | Raymond Hamel, Madison, Wl |
| Junior | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| Fifties | Joel Darrow, Jersey City, NJ |
| Sixties | Charlotte Cremin, New York, NY |
| Senior | Violet Gaffney, Brattleboro, VT |
| Rookie | Patrick Jordan, Ponca City, OK |
Special guest: Thomas Middleton, double-crostic maker for The New York Times and Harper's magazine. Contestant Ed Stein presented a 45-minute film on the 1993 contest. Doug Hoylman won for the third time.
Year 16 • 1993 • 192 contestants
| 1st | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| 2nd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Div. B | Elsa Angrist, Arlington, VA |
| Div. C | John Leavy, Austin, TX |
| Junior | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| Fifties | Joel Darrow, Jersey City, NJ |
| Sixties | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Senior | George Opper, Brooklyn, NY |
| Rookie | Robert Lieblich, Arlington, VA |
Constructor Maura Jacobson was honored. Henry Hook led a "Phantom" team puzzle-solving extravaganza on Saturday night, his identity being kept secret until the end. A new solving division (70 years and up) was added. Trip Payne, 24, of Atlanta, became the youngest champion ever.
Year 15 • 1992 • 172 contestants
| 1st | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 2nd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| Div. B | Randolph Ross, Syosset, NY |
| Div. C | George Orsula, Boxborough, MA |
| Junior | Trip Payne, Atlanta, GA |
| Fifties | Ed Bethea, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | George Orsula, Boxborough, MA |
Prizes in 10 geographical regions were introduced. The tournament's first computer-generated crossword (by Eric Albert) appeared as the playoff puzzle. Attendance set an all-time record. Doug Hoylman recaptured the championship.
Year 14 • 1991 • 149 contestants
| 1st | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 2nd | George Henschel, Springfield, VA |
| 3rd | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Div. B | Julian Ochrymowych, Basking Ridge, NJ |
| Div. C | Liz Izenour, Philadelphia, PA |
| Fifties | Ed Bethea, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Liz Izenour, Philadelphia, PA |
| [Note: No Junior event was held this year]]
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A crossword jigsaw contest was held Friday night, and every contestant took a copy of the jigsaw puzzle home. A short film, "Crosswords," was shown. Jon Delfin made it three in a row.
Year 13 • 1990 • 143 contestants
| 1st | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| Junior | Dan Seabolt, Norwalk, CT |
| Fifties | Ed Bethea, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Rookie | Bruce Cramer, Walpole, NH |
Playoffs were held in all three solving divisions for the first time. The "Pick Your Poison" tournament and "Puzzle Treasure Hunt" made their debut. Jon Delfin won again.
Year 12 • 1989 • 134 contestants
| 1st | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 3rd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Fifties | Joseph Clonick, New York, NY |
| Junior | John Burbank, Guilford, CT |
The first prize was doubled to $1,000, and the Rookie event was introduced. Janet Wynne Vaast, the daughter of Arthur Wynne (inventor of the crossword), presented the prizes. Jon Delfin, of New York City, won.
Year 11 • 1988 • 137 contestants
| 1st | Douglas Hoylman, Chevy Chase, MD |
| 2nd | Jon Delfin, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| Senior | Miriam Raphael, Rye Brook, NY |
| Fifties | Ed Bethea, New York, NY |
| Junior | Laura Sabel, Woodcliff Lake, NJ |
The 75th anniversary of the crossword puzzle. Contestants Jon Delfin and Leslie Billig presented a concert of crossword songs old and new. The history of crosswords was illustrated in slides. The Fifties event was introduced. Will Shortz, the director of the tournament since its beginning, assumed business control of the event from the Stamford Marriott. The winner: Doug Hoylman, of Chevy Chase, Md.
Year 10 • 1987 • 118 contestants
| 1st | David Rosen, New York, NY |
| 2nd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
| 3rd | Ed Bethea, New York, NY |
| Senior | Jinny Jones, Bethesda, MD |
| Junior | Leslie Collins, East Williston, NY |
Junior and Senior events were introduced. Official Publications sponsored the tournament for the first time. E.J. Kahn, Jr., wrote a lengthy article about the tournament for The New Yorker. David Rosen won for the fourth time and afterward announced his retirement from competition.
Year 9 • 1986 • 130 contestants
| 1st | David Rosen, Buffalo, NY |
| 2nd | Rebecca Kornbluh, Mundelein, IL |
| 3rd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
Three skill divisions were introduced. Crossword videos were shown on Saturday night. A telephone crossword answer service, of the kind that would later become popular in newspapers nationwide, was demonstrated publicly for the first time. Will Weng presented the prizes. The winner: David Rosen.
Year 8 • 1985 • 110 contestants
| 1st | David Rosen, Buffalo, NY |
| 2nd | Rebecca Kornbluh, Mundelein, IL |
| 3rd | Eric Schwartz, Newton, MA |
The first doubles contest was held on Friday night. The late Margaret Farrar was honored with a slide show. Actor/crossword constructor Arnold Moss presented the prizes. David Rosen became the first person to win the tournament twice.
Year 7 • 1984 • 115 contestants
| 1st | John McNeill, Austin, TX |
| 2nd | David Rosen, Buffalo, NY |
| 3rd | Stanley Newman, Massapequa Park, NY |
The first puzzle pentathlon was held. Also a pioneering demonstration was made of crossword solving by computer. Margaret Farrar presented the prizes for the last time. The winner: John McNeill, of Austin, Texas.
Year 6 • 1983 • 146 contestants
| 1st | David Rosen, Buffalo, NY |
| 2nd | Stanley Newman, Brooklyn, NY |
| 3rd | Ellen Ripstein, New York, NY |
America's first cryptic crossword tournament was held on Friday night. Mike Shenk introduced computerized scoring, and the main tournament playoff was conducted for the first time on large Plexiglas boards. David Rosen, a high school math teacher from Buffalo, N.Y., won.
Year 5 • 1982 • 132 contestants
| 1st | Stanley Newman, Brooklyn, NY |
| 2nd | Philip Cohen, Aliquippa, PA |
| 3rd | Joseph Clonick, New York, NY |
Special guests: Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, of The Atlantic, and Michelle Arnot, author of What's Gnu? A History of the Crossword Puzzle. People magazine ran a two-page spread on the tournament. Champion: Stanley Newman, of Massapequa Park, N.Y.
Year 4 • 1981 • 125 contestants
| 1st | Philip Cohen, Aliquippa, PA |
| 2nd | Joel Darrow, White Plains, NY |
| 3rd | John Chervokas, Briarcliff Manor, NY |
Special guest: Ruth von Phul, the first crossword champion of the world (1924), who spoke about tournaments in the 1920s. Philip Cohen, of Aliquippa, Pa., was the winner.
Year 3 • 1980 • 128 contestants
| 1st | Daniel Pratt, Laurel, Maryland |
| 2nd | Miriam Raphael, Port Chester, NY |
| 3rd | Joel Darrow, Greenburgh, NY |
Henry Hook and Merl Reagle made their tournament constructing debuts. The first championship playoff was conducted among the top three contestants — on overhead projectors. Daniel Pratt, of Laurel, Maryland, won.
Year 2 • 1979 • 154 contestants
| 1st | Miriam Raphael, Port Chester, NY |
| 2nd | Nancy Schuster, Rego Park, NY |
| 3rd | Merl Reagle, Santa Monica, CA |
The first full weekend tournament, with warm-up puzzles and games on Friday night. The modern scoring system was adopted, awarding points for correct words and a bonus for minutes finished early. Champion: Miriam Raphael, of Rye Brook, N.Y.
Pictures
Year 1 • 1978 • 149 contestants
| 1st | Nancy Schuster, Rego Park, NY |
| 2nd | Eleanor Cassidy, Fairfield, CT |
| 3rd | Murray Leavitt, Pound Ridge, NY |
The first major American crossword tournament since the 1930s. It had just five puzzles, constructed by Maura Jacobson, Jordan Lasher, Jack Luzzatto, Tap Osborn, and Jack Steinhardt. The event began at 3:00 Saturday afternoon, concluded with a final puzzle on Sunday morning, and cost only $20 to enter (banquet included!). Points were awarded for correct letters (not words) in the grid — a big headache for the judges, who literally stayed up all night grading papers. Nancy Schuster, a housewife from Queens, N.Y., won. Margaret Farrar presented the prizes. Media coverage included NBC, CBS, AP, UPI, The New York Times, Newsday, Sports Illustrated, and many more.
