Hello again, solvers! Since my last post, I've had my second-worst performance ever on the US Puzzle Championship, failed yet another Real Escape Game, won at The Grimm Escape, and pulled out a nail-biting triumph at the Shinteki Decathlon. They were all fun except for maybe the USPC, and even that had high quality; it's just that it was dwarfed by my incompetence.
Looking to the future, it's nearly the season for local crossword tournaments! First up is Lollapuzzoola 7 on Saturday, August 9th, which, you might note, is a Saturday in August. This fun and freewheeling tournament is sure to bring another solid batch of creative, original puzzles. September, specifically the 13th, brings the Bay Area Crossword Tournament, also marking its seventh year. Solve the next week's New York Times puzzles in advance in pursuit of the tournament prize and in support of Families of SMA. Then, in October, competitive puzzling heads south for the next edition of Crosswords LA. Check back soon for more details on that, but for now, I can report that I've amicably stepped down from the Puzzle Wrangler position, which will be filled expertly by Amy Reynaldo. I still plan to be on hand to officiate.
Go get 'em, everyone.