A C P T !!!!

From time to time I've hinted at my near-addiction to crossword puzzles.  I have a subscription to the NYT puzzles, and on the side I attempt Brendan Emmett Quigley's and Matt Gaffney's offerings.  Stan Newman's Saturday Stumpers usually defeat me, but I keep trying.  A site named Cruciverb.com posts a daily selection which includes the LA Times, The Onion, Chronicle of Higher Education, and others.  Please note:  I don't do all of those, but I know they're there.  In case of emergency, you know. 

Thanks to NYT Puzzle Editor Will Shortz (and in no small degree to the movie 'WordPlay') the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, or ACPT, draws annual crowds that now exceed 600.  The ACPT just concluded last weekend in Brooklyn, with 2010 champion Dan Feyer retaining his title in a way that leaves no doubt who's the reigning King of CrossWorld.  Five-time winner Tyler Hinman was in 2nd place--hardly shabby! 

Many of the folk who do the daily NYT puzzles also leave commentary and questions on the WordPlay blog; a few of them even use their real names.  My blog name (blognomen?) is Mean Old Lady. which of course is NOT my real name, I don't think.  The blog amounts to a little on-line community of those who share the puzzle passion--some being clever wags that never fail to entertain.  

Thanks to Sara, those of us who couldn't attend have a few faces  to put with those names now!

Sara, Jim Gaskell, Janie Smulyan, KarmaSartre, and PJBraxton

PhillySolver

Linda Murgap

There was one other picture, but I am having trouble with the process here, so my apologies to Sara's hometown friend Steve!  


Sara's comment:  "I'm just back from the ACPT, and boy is my brain tired!"  
Seven puzzles (two of them intentionally brutal) in two days...  with a bit of luck, maybe I can join in next year.  (Surely we are due to have a calm, peaceful year, right?)