LITTLE ROCK — It's a puzzle lovers paradise Saturday as the third annual Arkansas Puzzle Day returns to the Clinton School of Public Service for more temple massaging and eraser rubbing as crossword and Sudoku enthusiasts compete.
Officiated by Little Rock District Judge Vic Fleming and Bonnie Gentry of Scottsdale, Ariz., co-editors of Random House Casual Crosswords, the free afternoon of solving crosswords and Sudoku puzzles, sharing puzzle tips and techniques, and crossword educational sessions will kick off at 1 p.m. at the Clinton School's Sturgis Hall. The puzzle party gets started the night before with a Casual Crosswords autograph party and reception at the Peabody Hotel starting at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
The event started in 2007 after Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford invited Will Shortz to speak in June as a part of the Clinton School's Speaker Series. Shortz is The New York Times' crossword editor and puzzle master on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday.
"[Rutherford] and I discussed the notion of supplementing the lecture with a puzzle competition," Fleming said. "[Rutherford] liked the idea, and [Shortz] was agreeable to administering the contest."
The crossword documentary Wordplay was also screened by its director Patrick Creadon as part of the inaugural puzzle festivities, and Gov. Beebe proclaimed the day Arkansas Puzzle Day. In 2008, Arkansas Puzzle Day included host Merl Reagle, American Crossword Puzzle Tournament judge, Sunday newspaper crossword creator and commentator.
"[Rutherford] wanted to make it an annual affair," Fleming said. "In 2008, he invited Merl Reagle, who played a large role in Wordplay. ... [2008's] Puzzle Day involved a puzzle competition, followed immediately by an educational session led by [Reagle]."
After Fleming and Gentry's ascension to co-editor's of Random House Casual Crosswords following the retirement of the guide's originator and editor Mel Rosen, Rutherford invited the duo to preside over 2009's Arkansas Puzzle Day to coincide with the release of the 2009 edition of Casual Crosswords. (Fleming has had 21 of his crossword creations published in The New York Times since March 2005.)
Shortz and Reagle will participate indirectly in Saturday's event, Fleming said. Shortz is submitting one of his NPR crossword puzzles for the competition, and Reagle will be submitting a crossword puzzle as well.
The winner of last year's crossword competition was commercial real estate agent Wes Lacewell, who finished second in the event's first year, while Beth Levi, an instructor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's William H. Bowen School of Law, claimed first place in the Sudoku competition. Both Lacewell and Levi will return for the third annual event along with Pulaski County Circuit Judge Ellen Brantley, winner of the inaugural crossword competition.
"[They] will make brief presentations [possibly as a panel] on tips and techniques for puzzle solving," Fleming said. "Additionally, [Gentry] and I will tackle topics such as Tips for Solving Tough Crosswords, The Real Story Behind the Democrat-Gazette's Changing Its Crossword, and The History of Puzzles and Why It Matters, with plenty of time for [questions and answers]. This will probably be the last thing before the puzzle competition itself."
The 2009 version of Arkansas Puzzle Day will be capped off with separate crossword and Sudoku competitions.
"Those are the only two types that have been the subject of competition," Fleming said. "Sudoku has just become so popular in the last two or three years. Those are the two big constituencies."
Sidebars:
Beginner crossword tips from Vic Fleming, co-editor of Random House Casual Crosswords and Little Rock district judge
• Don't bite off more than you can chew. If you're inexperienced, don't start with the Thursday New York Times puzzle. (The Times puzzle is easy on Monday and gets progressively harder through the week.)
• Practice makes progress. Don't get frustrated. Spend a reasonable amount of time on the puzzle, then look up the answers and put it all away until the next day. Spend about the same amount of time each day at first.
• A true beginner should get Random House Casual Crosswords (including past issues), as the 50 puzzles in each volume are very easy, and the book is spread through with extra tips, hints and clues.
Saturday's Arkansas Puzzle Day lineup (all times approximate)
1 p.m. - Opening and introduction of guests and speakers
1:15 p.m. - Panel of past winners sharing tips and techniques
1:30 p.m. - Multipuzzle fun-and-games hour
2:30 p.m. - Educational sessions with Little Rock District Judge Vic Fleming and Bonnie Gentry of Scottsdale, Ariz., co-editors of Random House Casual Crosswords
3:45 p.m. - Split crossword and Sudoku puzzle competition (emphasizing accuracy rather than speed)
All puzzle day events are free and open to all puzzle enthusiasts. To RSVP, e-mail publicprograms@clintonschool.uasys.edu or call (501) 683-5239.