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Author Topic: "Cross-Wits" go to Stamford  (Read 4421 times)

Robair

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« on: March 13, 2005, 08:54:09 PM »
This weekend my brother and myself went to the 28th annual American Crossword Tournament in Stamford, Connecticut, to compete in the nation's biggest test of paper and pencil skills. Having been away from the tournament for health reasons for five years, it was a lot of fun for me to reconnect with a few names from game show lore, and the tournament finals (which has been considered for telecast by a start-up cable-TV gaming network) were especailly drama-worthy.

In the finals as he seems to be nearly every year was Norman "Trip" Payne, the Atlanta-based crossword contributor and defending champion. He was the first to break through the $32,000 barrier on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire".  This year he wound up second to first-time champ Tyler Hinman, who is only 20 years old.

Also top-tenning this year was the woman who is regarded as the Susan Lucci of the tournament, Ellen Ripstein. The former "Millionaire" staffer won a number of years back after being in the tournament a few dozen times.

And it was also a pleasure to bump into Merl Reagle again. One of the craftiest puzzle makers out there, Merl was the writer of the puzzles on "Crosswits" for the revival. This year one of his punning puzzles was used in the tourney, and it was the second-hardest of the batch. Reagle also provided color commentary for NPR alongside Neal Conan, making smart remarks about words like ASSIZE ("Who's got ass size now?").

The real drama of the tournament occurred when, during the finals, Al Sanders finished his puzzle well ahead of Trip and Tyler -- or at least he thought he did. He neglected to complete the initial Across word, ZOLAESQUE, leaving out the Z and A. When he realized his gaffe, he slammed his noise-blocking headphones down and sat behind the stage, hanging his head. This opened the door for Tyler and Trip, with Tyler finishing two minutes ahead of Trip. TV-worthy? You bet!

Would you have gotten this fifteen-letter phrase from the championship puzzle? "Subject of the 1959 Harris Committee Investigation".
« Last Edit: March 13, 2005, 08:58:17 PM by Robair »
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--Robair

BrandonFG

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2005, 10:38:19 PM »
[quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Mar 13 2005, 08:54 PM\']Would you have gotten this fifteen-letter phrase from the championship puzzle? "Subject of the 1959 Harris Committee Investigation".
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QUIZ SHOW SCANDAL?
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"It wasn't like this on Tic Tac Dough...Wink never gave a damn!"

tvwxman

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2005, 11:05:37 AM »
[quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Mar 13 2005, 08:54 PM\']This weekend my brother and myself went to the 28th annual American Crossword Tournament in Stamford, Connecticut, to compete in the nation's biggest test of paper and pencil skills. Having been away from the tournament for health reasons for five years, it was a lot of fun for me to reconnect with a few names from game show lore, and the tournament finals (which has been considered for telecast by a start-up cable-TV gaming network) were especailly drama-worthy.


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being that i live just up the interstate, i wish i would have known about the tourney, and would have made the trip, if for nothing else than to buy a beer for  fellow game show guys whom i respect greatly...
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Matt

- "May all of your consequences be happy ones!"

clemon79

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2005, 12:02:15 PM »
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 09:05 AM\']being that i live just up the interstate, i wish i would have known about the tourney, and would have made the trip, if for nothing else than to buy a beer for  fellow game show guys whom i respect greatly...
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Based on what I know of Robair and Dave over the years, you may assume that if there is a crossword or pinball convention/tournament in the region, they will be in attendance if it is possible for them to do so. :)

Is that accurate, Robair? :)
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tvwxman

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2005, 01:12:17 PM »
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 12:02 PM\'][quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 09:05 AM\']being that i live just up the interstate, i wish i would have known about the tourney, and would have made the trip, if for nothing else than to buy a beer for  fellow game show guys whom i respect greatly...
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Based on what I know of Robair and Dave over the years, you may assume that if there is a crossword or pinball convention/tournament in the region, they will be in attendance if it is possible for them to do so. :)

Is that accurate, Robair? :)
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Good. I'll see them in April in Allentown for the Pinball convention? ms
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Matt

- "May all of your consequences be happy ones!"

LetsGoMets2003

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2005, 01:57:20 PM »
Holy crap, something happened in my hometown this weekend that was game related? Wow. lol.

James
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aaron sica

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2005, 02:15:54 PM »
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 01:12 PM\']
Good. I'll see them in April in Allentown for the Pinball convention? ms
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Pinball convention? Do tell more.
-Aaron

(who wishes he could remember the only show that merged game shows and pinball.."The Magnificent Marble Machine").
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Robair

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2005, 03:40:20 PM »
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 01:12 PM\']Good. I'll see them in April in Allentown for the Pinball convention? ms
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The Lehigh Valley (Pennsylvania) has a very nice pinball convention weekend with lots of old and new games to play (including the just-released "The Sopranos"). It's also got an exceptional old flea market to browse. The link is

http://www.pinballwizardsconv.com/

and the thing runs Friday-Sunday, April 29 to May 1.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2005, 03:41:23 PM by Robair »
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--Robair

aaron sica

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2005, 03:45:39 PM »
[quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 03:40 PM\'][quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 01:12 PM\']Good. I'll see them in April in Allentown for the Pinball convention? ms
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The Lehigh Valley (Pennsylvania) has a very nice pinball convention weekend with lots of old and new games to play (including the just-released "The Sopranos"). It's also got an exceptional old flea market to browse. The link is

http://www.pinballwizardsconv.com/

and the thing runs Friday-Sunday, April 29 to May 1.
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Had I not had a wedding to attend that weekend, I could def. meet some of you there. :)
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tvwxman

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2005, 03:48:24 PM »
[quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 03:40 PM\'][quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 01:12 PM\']Good. I'll see them in April in Allentown for the Pinball convention? ms
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The Lehigh Valley (Pennsylvania) has a very nice pinball convention weekend with lots of old and new games to play (including the just-released "The Sopranos"). It's also got an exceptional old flea market to browse. The link is

http://www.pinballwizardsconv.com/

and the thing runs Friday-Sunday, April 29 to May 1.
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What he said. :)

And since i've been promoted, I now have weekends off for the first time in 5 years. I've already warned my wife that I'm going. See you there.
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Matt

- "May all of your consequences be happy ones!"

davemackey

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2005, 04:20:38 PM »
[quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Mar 13 2005, 09:54 PM\']Also top-tenning this year was the woman who is regarded as the Susan Lucci of the tournament, Ellen Ripstein. The former "Millionaire" staffer won a number of years back after being in the tournament a few dozen times.
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Unless I'm mistaken, she's still working on the show. Her name is still on the credits, as well as that of "Millionaire" question writer David Levinson-Wilk, who also created one of this year's tournament puzzles - which was the first one out of the box, and one of those I stumbled over. (I mistakenly thought the Spanish museum was the PRADA.)
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SRIV94

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2005, 04:22:03 PM »
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 02:48 PM\']And since i've been promoted
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Congratulations.  Always good when one of us ascends.  :)

Doug
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Doug
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"When you see the crawl at the end of the show you will see a group of talented people who will all be moving over to other shows...the cameramen aren't are on that list, but they're not talented people."  John Davidson, TIME MACHINE (4/26/85)

mystery7

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2005, 07:57:56 PM »
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 03:45 PM\'][quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 03:40 PM\']

The Lehigh Valley (Pennsylvania) has a very nice pinball convention weekend with lots of old and new games to play (including the just-released "The Sopranos"). It's also got an exceptional old flea market to browse. The link is

http://www.pinballwizardsconv.com/

and the thing runs Friday-Sunday, April 29 to May 1.
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Had I not had a wedding to attend that weekend, I could def. meet some of you there. :)
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Wish I could bagel-finagle my way out of the annual radio commitment I have that weekend. I live right up the street from the place and have yet to see the pinball expo.
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parliboy

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2005, 01:41:08 PM »
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Mar 13 2005, 10:38 PM\'][quote name=\'Robair\' date=\'Mar 13 2005, 08:54 PM\']Would you have gotten this fifteen-letter phrase from the championship puzzle? "Subject of the 1959 Harris Committee Investigation".
[snapback]78075[/snapback]
[/quote]

QUIZ SHOW SCANDAL?
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Unfortunately, there's more than one thing that can fit here.  Such as...

BARRY AND ENRIGHT
CHARLES VAN DOREN

I'm sure more answers are out there.
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"You're never ready, just less unprepared."

uncamark

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"Cross-Wits" go to Stamford
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2005, 04:55:54 PM »
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 02:15 PM\'][quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 14 2005, 01:12 PM\']
Good. I'll see them in April in Allentown for the Pinball convention? ms
[snapback]78145[/snapback]
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Pinball convention? Do tell more.
-Aaron

(who wishes he could remember the only show that merged game shows and pinball.."The Magnificent Marble Machine").
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No you don't.  Trust me.  I was there.
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