BARKIN UP THE RIGHT TREE

Howard Barkin wins first ACPT

Don Christensen; from ACPT website

In a year where the impossible seemed within reach - Dan Feyer steamrolling to a possible seventh consecutive American Crossword Puzzle Tournament trophy - the unthinkable happened. Howard Barkin, longtime bump in the road whenever Feyer or his predecessor Tyler Hinman would win tournaments, now has an ACPT soup tureen to call his own, along with $7,000 in cash for a nice dinner out with the family.

Barkin, who also won the New Jersey state title, defeated Feyer (second place) and David Plotkin (third). Going into the final round, Feyer was first by three minutes over both Barkin and Plotkin, with Barkin seeded second due to a better time on Saturday's Puzzle 6.

Doug Peterson won the B division title over Michael Megargee and Emily O'Neill, who did win for top foreign solver (she is from Canada).

Rookie winner Miriam Sicherman finished third in the C finals. The champ there was Christopher Baker, with a perfect solve in 8:45, nineteen seconds ahead of Sam Donaldson.

Other division and regional winners:

D: Claire Rimkus

E: Dean Romano

Junior: Sam Ezersky

Fifties: Al Sanders

Sixties: Jon Delfin

Seventies: Neil Singer

Senior: Thomas Hennessy

West: Feyer

Connecticut: Ron Osher

New England: Joon Pahk

New York City: Francis Heaney

Long Island: Thomas Weisswange

Upstate New York: Arnold Reich

Mid-Atlantic: Megargee

South: Plotkin

Midwest: Anne Ellison

Puzzle Brother Bob Mackey placed much lower than usual this year, 52nd, due to multiple errors. Dave Mackey did not attend the tournament this year.

The 40th ACPT will be back in Stamford the weekend of March 24-26, 2017.