Tournament History
Capsule History of the Tournament
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2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | 1993 | 1992 | 1991 | 1990 1989 | 1988 | 1987 | 1986 | 1985 | 1984 | 1983 | 1982 | 1981 | 1980 1979 | 1978 |
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 more trophies in ACPT history than anyone else. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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]] | |
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.
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.