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Puzzle Fans Flock To Stamford As Crossword Tournament Returns Home

STAMFORD, Conn. -- The top two competitors in a weekend crossword puzzle tournament in Stamford battled down to the last second in a fight for the crown before a cheering crowd of hundreds of their fellow puzzle fans. 

David Steinberg, with Will Shortz, was the Division C winner.

David Steinberg, with Will Shortz, was the Division C winner.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Competitors do crossword puzzles on giant boards in the championship finals.

Competitors do crossword puzzles on giant boards in the championship finals.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
A large crowd watches the championship finals at the Stamford Marriott on Sunday.

A large crowd watches the championship finals at the Stamford Marriott on Sunday.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
One of the crossword puzzles in the competition.

One of the crossword puzzles in the competition.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Ophira Eisenberg (L) and Greg Pliska provide play-by-play.

Ophira Eisenberg (L) and Greg Pliska provide play-by-play.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman
Crossword fans of all ages enjoy the competition.

Crossword fans of all ages enjoy the competition.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman

More than 565 competitors took part in the 38th annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament as it returned to familiar stomping grounds at the Stamford Marriott hotel after seven years in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The competition ended with a bang, as Dan Feyer nipped Tyler Hinman by just one second in the final round Sunday.  It was the sixth straight victory for Feyer, as he edged out Hinman, who came out on top for the five straight tournaments before Feyer began his winning streak. Howard Barkin came in third. 

The tournament began Friday with a friendly gathering of attendees before the competition kicked off Saturday with six puzzles. The final seventh puzzle was completed Sunday morning, before the Top 3 competitors in Categories A, B and C went head-to-head in successive sudden-death rounds conducted on giant grids.

Live, play-by-play commentary on the A and B finals came from Ophira Eisenberg, host of NPR's "Ask Me Another," and Greg Pliska, puzzle writer and the musical director for the Tony Award-winning play "War Horse."

The top three in the B division were Andrew Feist, Elaine Renner and Vic Chandhok. In the C division, the top three were David Steinberg, Alex Egervary and Rob Tricchinelli. 

Pleasantville, N.Y., resident Will Shortz, the crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times and the mastermind behind the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, was happy to be returning to Stamford.

"At the Brooklyn hotel, we might as well have been a convention of the National Pipe Fitters' Association, and we were just one of many groups. At Stamford our quirky group is special," he said.

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