Chuck Menning, Patrick Merrell and Will Shortz	Victor Fleming and Paula Gamache	Rich Silvestri	Jim Page and Brendan Emmett Quigley (with Henry Rathvon and Emily Cox)
Deb Amlen	Byron Walden	Kevin McCann at the Cru Dinner	Cru Dinner — Joe Cabrera, Tom Ratcliffe, Bruce Morton, Al Sanders, Judy Pozar and Jill Palmer
Jim Conklin, Co Crocker, and Judy Conklin at the Cru Dinner	Zulema Seligsohn makes a special appearance at the Cru Dinner and gets a hug from Jim Conklin	Mike Alpern, Arnold Reich and Frank Longo	Ellen Ripstein, Faye Eastwood and Lynn Del Vecchio
Rich Norris and Kim Taylor	Joe Cabrera	Mike Shenk and his "one hour" Garden Variety puzzle.	Snow on the ground Saturday morning at the Stamford Marriott (who else but a Florida boy would bother with this picture!)
J!m Jenista	Stella Daily in her PJ's	Lloyd Mazer with Stella Daily	Cru Wine Party with Mike Alpern, Tom Ratcliffe, Hugh Murphy, Susan and Ed Hoffman and Maureen Hathaway
Maureen Hathaway and Co Crocker	Ed and Susan Hoffman sing the song they prepared for the Idol contest — for which, unfortunately, they were not selected.	Laura Walker — graduate student from Cleveland State University — author of soon to be presented paper on "The Sociology of Modest Activities: The Social World of The New York Times Crossword Puzzle"	Cru Wine Party with Mike Alpern, J!m Jenista and Judy Conklin
Michael Shteyman with Co Crocker	Co Crocker and Pat Merrell	Lloyd Mazer, Michael Shteyman and Pat Merrell	American Crossword Idol contest with Vic Fleming accompanied by Stella Daily and Ben Tausig
Ellen Ripstein and her twirling baton	Sherry O. Blackard and Nancy Shack	Frank Longo with Merl Reagle and Neal Conan just before the finals.	Mystery Person — Chris Aldrich
B Finalists Stella Daily, Amy Reynaldo and Arnold Reich.	A Finalists Tyler Hinman, Trip Payne and Al Sanders.	C Finalists Len Elliott, Jonathan Gray and Susan Hoffman — amazingly enough — all Rookies!	Amy Reynaldo and Mike Alpern at the Awards Luncheon
Ed and Susan Hoffman at the Awards Luncheon	Harvey Estes and Tyler Hinman	Matt Jones, Rich Norris and Kim Taylor	Peter Gordon
Al Sanders	Fred Jarmuz	Maureen Hathaway, Pamela Feiring and Ellen Harland	Al Sanders receives his trophy
Tyler Hinman lifts his silver cup