Over 150 people — from right here in Westport, and as far away as Georgia — crammed the Westport Library yesterday.
They brought pencils (and a few pens), a competitive yet comradely spirit, and their wits, to the Library’s 25th annual Crossword Contest.
With less than 2 minutes remaining, many puzzlers were still working hard on the third crossword.
In some ways, it was no contest.
Defending champion Glenn Ryan picked up his 6th title, beating former winners Ken Stern and Peter Rinkus. He finished a New York Times Sunday crossword in a lightning-fast 6 minutes, 7 seconds.
That’s the time it takes many people to figure out the first few answers.
Just 11 seconds into the finals, competitors (from left) Glenn Ryan, Ken Stern and Peter Rinkus had already filled in several answers.
The trio qualified for the finals by completing 3 puzzles — a “Monday,” “Tuesday” and “Wednesday,” in ascending order of difficulty — perfectly, in the least amount of time.
Winner Glenn Ryan is interviewed by New York Times puzzle editor and contest host Will Shortz.
But everyone was a winner.
Some contestants got a certificate for finishing all 3 puzzles correctly.
Mark Gilrain earned a certificate, for 3 perfect puzzles.
Two won for “best penmanship” (one in pencil, the other pen).
All were entertained before the final round with word games, courtesy of Times puzzle editor (and contest puzzle master) Will Shortz.
Many puzzlers are veterans of previous Library contests. Some were first-timers.
Midway through the contest. In the background: Library director Bill Harmer and puzzle master Will Shortz.
Many finished one crossword. Some finished all three.
The Moore family came from Atlanta. Clockwise from right: Rebecca is a veteran puzzler (and finished all 3 correctly). William is a sophomore at Wesleyan University. Randy just started solving 2 weeks ago. Their friend Jim Dray (blue) traveled a shorter distance. He lives in Guilford.
“Across” the board, all had fun. No one left feeling “down.”
Word!
The most important elements of yesterday’s contest: the crossword puzzles, and pencil sharpeners. (All photos/Dan Woog)
(If it happens in Westport, chances are you’ll read about it on “06880.” Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Bitter temperatures, then quick warming yesterday caused a frozen pipe to burst during lunch at The Porch @ Christie’s.
A screen shot from a video by Dylan Curran (below) shows water cascading between 2 light fixtures, down the front of a display case, and into one of several trash cans.
But nothing stops Andrea and Bill Pecoriello. The owners worked their magic tirelessly, and opened again this morning.
The popular Cross Highway deli/restaurant is the site of the next Club 203 party. Westport’s great social group for adults with disabilities celebrates St. Patrick’s Day there the night before: March 16, 7 p.m.
Westport Country Playhouse was the scene of the club’s recent Valentine’s dance party. Over 120 guests and a dozen volunteers enjoyed stacks of heart-shaped pizzas donated by Planet Pizza, sweetheart cookies courtesy of Stew Leonard’s and The Pantry, and a jewelry-making and artful “live love” project sponsored by MoCA of Westport.
Click here for more information on Club 203, and the St. Paddy’s Day social.
Rockin’ Club 203’s Valentine’s dance, at Westport Country Playhouse.
Yesterday’s Roundup noted that although the Norwalk Bed Bath & Beyond store is not accepting coupons — and everything is 20% off — it was not on the chain’s list of hundreds of stores slated for closing.
But Bobbie Herman — who told “06880” that both it and the Fairfield store will close — was right.
A call to the Norwalk location yesterday confirmed the news. The person who answered said the news has not yet been announced officially. The final day is “sometime in March.”
Two years ago, Jay Norris sat with 4 other Black men. Their goal was to create a social community in Westport for people of color.
The men would network. They and their spouses would attend cultural events, and dine out together; they’d organize beach parties and other events for their kids.
Hoping for a few more men, they chose an optimistic name: Westport 10.
They’ve met at places like La Plage, Autostrada and Hudson Malone. Their children have gotten together. By their presence and involvement in local affairs, they’re making Westport more comfortable for themselves — and more welcoming for all.
Westport 10 has grown rapidly. They’re now up to over 50 men and their families.
Congratulations! Here’s hoping for more name changes in the future.
At a recent Westport 100 lunch at Hudson Malone, clockwise from bottom right: Titus McDougal (wearing a cap), Alexis Johnson, Lorenzo Wyatt, Kevin Christie, Dr. Stephan Grevious, Ron Gordon, Trey Ellis, Vinny Spencer, Roy Adams, Timothy Tanksley, Jay Norris, Ted Parker, C.D. Glin,
New York Times crossword puzzle editor and NPR puzzle master Will Shortz entertained hundreds of puzzle solvers and word lovers yesterday, at the 24th annual Westport Library contest.
The crowd worked on 3 puzzles he brought — all yet to be published in the Times — and then followed along as 3 finalists competed onstage. Before the final round, Shortz led a series of word games.
“You’re sharp!” he said, as one man took about three nanonseconds to turn one word (“mechanize”) into the name of an animal by adding another (“chimpanzee”).
The crossword champion — who won a previous contest here — was Glenn Ryan. He finished the final puzzle — an always-tough “Saturday” one — in 6 minutes, 48 seconds.
The rest of us are still working on it.
Will Shortz, leading word games at the Westport Library. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Last week, Matt Murray’s radar detector started going bonkers at various spots it never had before.
He realized it was triggered by boxes on telephone poles. Looking closely, he saw that they’re property of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. He worried that “Big Brother” was monitoring speeds.
A state Department of Transportation traffic study box. (Photo/Matt Murray)
They are on (among other roads) North Avenue, Cross Highway and Bayberry Lane — all areas that are being studied for traffic patterns, prior to recommendations for improvement.
Westport Police Chief says, “the data is not vehicle specific. Nor is it being used for enforcement.”
Matt sends along this link, from a barcode on the radar box.
Her luminous color field paintings are on display through February 28. All are available for purchase.
Kat’s art has been shown in juried solo and group exhibitions, and hangs in collections throughout North America, Europe and Japan. She is a member of the Artists Collective of Westport.
The Westport Country Playhouse Script in Hand 2003 play reading series begins with “As Bees in Honey Drown.”
The fun-filled, insightful social satire is set for Monday, February 13 (7 p.m.). Script in Hand eadings offer intimate storytelling. Professional actors bring words to life, without sets or costumes.
The recent “06880” story about 233 Hillspoint Road [the former Positano restaurant, now being rebuilt as a private home] led me down the Google rabbit hole, to a wonderful surprise.
Over Thanksgiving weekend, my family and I had a Positano reunion at the former Chef Joseph’s son and daughter’s recently opened West Village restaurant, Ferdi.
The hospitality and food is instantly, wonderfully, familiar, while also sparkling with the imprint of the next generation of Chef Fernando and Manager Aida.
My sister and her husband were with us, visiting from Ohio. They married on the beach outside Positano 21 years ago, and had their wedding party at the restaurant. (Its first, I think.)
My adult children, who also were at this dinner with my husband and me, grew up talking to young Fernando and Aida during our countless meals at Positano.
The evening was meaningful for all of us — and we have “06880” to thank for getting the ball rolling.
Aaron and Brett Fortunoff are Bedford Middle School students, with big hearts and great goals. They write:
“In the spirit of giving and being thankful, we can’t forget about those who are less fortunate and fail to receive a proper daily breakfast — the most important meal of the day.
“So we teamed up with a non-profit called Cereal4All that helps provide cereals to local food pantries. We hope ‘06880’ readers can help us with this important cause.
“For local readers, we will be by both entrances of Stop & Shop this weekend (December 3 and 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). We will then deliver the collected cereal to food pantries in Fairfield County.
“There will also be a collection box at Temple Israel in Westport, from December 2 to 16.
“For readers are not local, we created an Amazon wish list you can donate to. Also, you can Venmo our mother, Laurie. She will buy cereal with the money raised: @lauriefortunoff. You can also click here and donate directly to the charity. The donation is tax deductible.
The stars are aligned. This is your chance to order a 2023 Westport Astronomical Society calendar.
It’s filled with daily astronomical data from Phil Harrington, and illustrated with astro-photography from talented WAS members.
The calendar is $15 for members, $20 for non-members ($5 shipping for 1-2; $10 for 3-5). It’s available at any upcoming event (click here for the calendar), or by email (alex@was-ct.org; include quantity and shipping address; you’ll be invoiced via PayPal).
And finally … Keith Levene — a founding member of both the Clash and Public Image Ltd. — died earlier this month in England. He was 65, and suffered from liver cancer. Click here for a full obituary.
(Don’t be a punk. Please support “06880.” Click here to help. Thank you!)
There are 2 ways to do the New York Times crossword puzzle:
By yourself
In a room with a couple hundred other people, racing the clock and all those other geniuses who know that frybread is a “Naan-like Native American food,” epee is a “sword’s name with two accents,” and that shandy is a “beer and lemonade drink.” They also know who Danny Ainge, Joni Ernst and Gotye are, plus tons of other random stuff.
All those people who enjoy option #2 gathered this afternoon at the Saugatuck Congregational Church. They competed — good-naturedly, but fiercely — in the Westport Library’s 20th annual Crossword Puzzle Contest.
Solving crossword puzzles takes concentration.
For the 20th year, it was puzzle-master-minded — and presided over joyfully and cruciverbally — by Times crossword editor (and NPR star) Will Shortz.
New York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz and Westport Library director Bill Harmer entertain the crowd. The countdown clock is at right.
Contestants came from as far as North Carolina and Illinois. Ages skewed older, though there were enough younger faces to make Gotye a legit question.
After 3 rounds of increasing-in-difficulty Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday puzzles, the top 3 contestants (based on speed and accuracy) faced off for the title. They stood on stage, solving a tough Thursday crossword as the crowd watched.
The finalists (from left): Glen Ryan, Jesse Lansner and Ken Stern.
Glen Ryan finished in 6:50. However, he got one answer wrong.
Jesse Lansner was 2nd, in 7:30. But he got one wrong too.
So Ken Stern — slow, steady and perfect, in 11:37 — was declared the winner.
It was a fast, fun day. I know, because I was one of those solvers
I did not make the finals. But I was one of a few dozen to complete all 3 Monday through Wednesday puzzles perfectly.
It wasn’t quite curling up with the New York Times crossword.
More like racing through it, trying to beat dozens of other crossword aficionados. The grand prize: A book (about words) donated in your name to the Westport Library.
Your name on a new plaque.
And — 24 hours before the Super Bowl — the knowledge that you’re a champion in a competition using (instead of destroying) brain cells.
It happened this afternoon: the Library’s 18th annual Crossword Puzzle Contest.
Jeff Wieser was ready for the Crossword Puzzle Contest. The countdown clock is in the background. There were 3 preliminary rounds, of 20 minutes each.
I was there for the 1st time. The McManus Room was filled with fellow puzzlers. Many had come to previous contests. A few had been to every one.
Eric Maddy came all the way from Huntington Beach, California (and wore shorts). He seemed to know a lot of folks. Crossword solvers have created quite a community.
But there were plenty of familiar faces. Sitting across from me was Jeff Wieser, CEO of Homes With Hope. On my right was Alan Southworth, the 2010 Staples High grad/musician/marathon runner/crossword creator (he hopes Will Shortz will select one of his puzzles for the Times).
Will Shortz: New York Times puzzle editor, Westport Library contest host, all-around cool guy.
Shortz himself — the Times puzzle editor/NPR host/Indiana University enigmatology major — was at today’s contest too. He served as the genial, wisecracking, challenging host.
The diverse, high-energy crowd was perfect for Shortz. And he had 3 strong puzzles — a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (in ascending order of difficulty) for us.
I did not win. I did not make the cut as one of 3 finalists. I am, however, extremely proud to say that I did receive a perfect score on all 3 puzzles.
I earned a certificate for that, signed by Will Shortz himself.
A couple dozen others got certificates too. It was that kind of group.
And that kind of only-in-Westport afternoon.
PS: The 3 puzzles will be published in upcoming Times editions. Will gave us the back stories about them. One is by the youngest creator in Times history. When we heard that, no one in the room felt smart at all.
You might even call us clueless.
The 3 finalists. Andy Kravis (right) of New York City won, finishing a Friday puzzle in a blazing 4:50. Eric Maddy (center) was 2nd. He came all the way from California — and received a Westport Library tote bag in appreciation.
From now on, the winner’s name will be etched on a plaque honoring longtime puzzle fan Howard Brody. As the award notes, he “never had a cross word for anyone.”
Click here to help support “06880” via credit card or PayPal. Any amount is welcome, appreciated — and tax-deductible! Reader contributions keep this blog going. (Alternate methods: Please send a check to “06880”: PO Box 744, Westport, CT 06881. Or use Venmo: @blog06880. Or Zelle: dwoog@optonline.net. Thanks!)
GET THE “06880” APP
The “06880” app (search for it on the Apple or Android store) is the easiest way to get “06880.” Choose notifications: whenever a new post is published, or once or twice a day. Click here for details.
