Winners & Prizes

Christoph Niemann cartoon with three puzzles at a bar: a maze, a crossword, and a dot-to-dot, with a sudoku looking in

“I swear to God, if Sudoku shows up…”
– Winning Caption by Matt Savoca of the Dr. Mayhem team (2022)

PRIZES

All winners will receive the following:

  • Priceless bragging rights.
  • A copy of Merl Reagle’s Sunday Crosswords.
  • Personalized Winner’s Certificates, suitable for framing.
  • The unique, highly coveted, and tasteful Finger Lakes Crossword Champ Bracelet … not to be confused with the ostentatious World Series of Poker Champ bracelet (pictured here).
  • Winners’ names will be inscribed on a brass winners’ plaque permanently on display in the Tompkins Learning Partners office.
  • All In-Person players who complete a Perfect Puzzles within the competition time period will receive a Perfect Puzzle Certificate, suitable for framing.
Finger Lakes Crossword Competition Bracelet made of beads

TASTEFUL PRIZE

World Series of Poker 2012 Bracelet with diamonds

NOT THE PRIZE

2023 WINNERS & TIMES

Easier – Team: Malaki Muffins (13.02)
Easier – Individual: Liv Vincent (14.20)

Trickier – Team: Roget’s Envy (12.27)
Trickier – Individual: Mariana Wolfner (19.23)

Toughest – Team: Best of the Wordz (22.48)
Toughest – Individual: Jacob Lehman (10.56)

When comparing these times, remember that the Toughest puzzles, for the first time, were 19×19, which is not only tougher but 60% larger than the Easier and Trickier 15×15 puzzles. Wow!

2023 PERFECT PUZZLES
Toughest – Individual:
Jacob Lehman (10.56)Ben Jacobson-Bell (27.32)Penelope Harper (35.14)
Roman Koshykar (13.12)
Toughest – Team:
Best of the Wordz (22.48)Write Up Our Sleeve (29.18)Hovey Hitters (43.41)
The Read Letters (25.26)Sweet Potatoes (34.28)Collateral Damage (57.22)
Sapsuckers (26.16)
Trickier – Individual:
Mariana Wolfner (19.23)Ken Harris (53.39)
Trickier – Team:
Roget’s Envy (12.27)Four Across (19.25)
Easier – Individual:
Liv Vincent (14.20)Katherina Nichols (28.13)Kit Tannenbaum (57.36)
Jac Longstreth (14.30)
Easier – Team:
Malaki Muffins (13.02)
2023 PUZZLES & ANSWERS
Easier PuzzleTrickier PuzzleToughest Puzzle
Easier AnswersTrickier AnswersToughest Answers
Spiral PuzzleBuilding Blocks Puzzle
Spiral & Building Blocks
Answers
Gray Line
one adult posing next to a whiteboard
Jacob Lehman, winner of the Toughest – Individual category
adults posing next to a wall with posters in the background
Mariana Wolfner, winner of the Trickier – Individual category
adult posing next to a wall with posters in the background
Liv Vincent, winner of the Easier – Individual category
two adults posing next to a wall with posters in the background
Malaki Muffins, winner of the Easier – Team category
three adults posing next to a wall with posters in the background
Roget’s Envy, winner of the Trickier – Team category
four adults posing next to a wall with posters in the background
Best of the Wordz, winner of the Toughest – Team category
Twelve adults posing in a school hallway
All the winners of the 2023 Finger Lakes Crossword Competition
Gray Line

Past Winners

2022 2021 2020 2019
TEAMS
Toughest: Team Smaiblers
Trickier: Tax Team
Easier: Cross Contamination

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Matt McCurry
Trickier: Judy Cole
Easier: Cheryl Kochavi
TEAMS
Toughest: Team Smaiblers
Trickier: Tax Team
Easier: Two Amigos

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Robert White
Trickier: Ted Boscia
Easier: Janet Klein
TEAMS
Toughest: Team Smaiblers
Trickier: Plymouth “The Rock” Johnson
Easier: Team Backii

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Jacob Lehman
Trickier: Leigh Keeley
Easier: Jordon Campo
TEAMS
Toughest: Biblioteca Gonna Wreck Ya
Trickier: Greenhill
Easier: Ten CCs of TC

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Jesse Lansner
Trickier: Ted Boscia
Easier: Wendy Cameron
2018 2017 2016 2015
TEAMS
Toughest: The Best of the Wordz
Trickier: Candace75
Easier: Two Schlepps

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Jesse Lansner
Trickier: Ted Boscia
Easier: Michaela Schied
TEAMS
Toughest: Defending Champs
Trickier: Cinnamon Challenge
Easier: Annabel Thompson Fan Club

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Jacob Lehman
Trickier: James Perry
Easier: Emily Kadish
TEAMS
Toughest: Defending Champs
Trickier: The Sweet Potatoes
Easier: Chemung Canal Crossword Crew

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Jacob Lehman
Trickier: Diane Colman
Easier: Bhuvanesh Sundar
TEAMS
Toughest: Hot Cross Brains
Trickier: Mart-Feld
Easier: Trojan Horse

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Jennifer Turney
Trickier: Joel Johnson
Easier: Sam Peters
2014 2013
TEAMS
Toughest: Uphoff’s
Trickier: Frank/McCollister
Easier: Les Quiserables

INDIVIDUALS
Toughest: Robert White
Trickier: Leslie Kinsland
Easier: Barbara Logan
TEAMS
Advanced: CHUMs
Serious: DeWitt Mall Rats
Casual: Warren Wordsmiths

INDIVIDUALS
Advanced: Henry Peterson
Serious: Michael Matsuda
Casual: Nicole Arocho