American Crossword Puzzle Tournament

From Freepedia

The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament is an annual crossword-solving tournament held every March in Stamford, Connecticut. Founded in 1978 by Will Shortz, who still directs the tournament, it is the oldest and largest crossword tournament held in the United States, currently attracting between 400 and 500 competitors each year.

The main part of the tournament consists of seven rounds; the puzzles in these rounds vary in size and difficulty level. In each round, all competitors solve the same puzzle; competitors who complete the puzzle before the time limit may raise their hands and have their puzzles collected by a judge. Puzzles are judged on both accuracy and speed.

The top three solvers after the first seven rounds progress to the final round, which consists of solving a very difficult crossword on an oversized grid on a stage at the front of the tournament room. The three competitors in this round wear noise-blocking headphones so that a team of commentators can remark upon the action for the spectators. The winner of this round is declared the tournament champion.

While everyone is eligible to compete for the tournament championship, there are also prizes for solvers in other skill levels, as well as rookies. Prizes are also awarded in various age and geographical divisions.