If anyone has happened to glance at the TfT right-hand sidebar, you will see that the results of the 2018 Championships are out, and we are once again providing links to the results.
Other than the actual results, interested parties who did not attend know little or nothing, as the Times does not usually publish its report until the following Monday. However, it is evident from both the results and Keriothe’s comment in the Sunday puzzle blog that the great Magoo has finally been dethroned, and we have a new champion.
Well, here is a thread to discuss this exciting development. Contestants and onlookers are all invited to comment at length, although I am asking that you not reveal the actual clues and answers, as the Times will be reusing the puzzles in its regular daily rota.
It seemed like it must have been a very hard trio of final puzzles – only 7 all corrects!
Edited at 2018-11-04 07:51 am (UTC)
Secondly, if I’d finished one place higher, Dr. Charles Wood would have claimed 13th place for the third year in a row, and I am not so heartless as to wish that on anyone (I reserve the right to change this view when we finish in the same places next year). Also, for those of us who fell short, it was brilliant to see other TftT-ers getting through, especially our two first-time finalists, so there was plenty of reflected glory to go round.
Finally, as Sue (who had her own reasons to feel cross with the way things went) said in the pub afterwards, it’s only a bloody crossword. We all went to the George where I had a very nice time in excellent company, and even managed to add a few more faces to names from the blog. Good to see you all in person, if I did, and as far as the crosswords go, there’s always next year.
I spoke to a few people before the heat, one of whom turned out to be Cryptic Sue. My immediate remark was “oh, you’ve been in the final before”, to which her reply was along the lines of “please don’t say that, you’ll have jinxed me now!”, but it was too late. Sorry Sue – I think you would have made a better showing in the final than I did.
I found the final very hard going. It might have been first-time nerves, but I think the puzzles were definitely tougher than usual. When I have attempted the Grand Final puzzles from previous years, albeit in the comfort of my own home with no time pressure, I have generally come in below the hour mark, so it was a bit disheartening that I could not finish even one of the puzzles within the time. Fortunately, I did achieve my goal of not finishing last.
I was actually sat next to Magoo and immediately in front of Mohn. After filling in three quarters of one puzzle and solving a few clues of the second, there was some rustling to my left telling me that Magoo had finished. How does he do it? I nearly congratulated him before the winners were announced and I am very glad I didn’t jump the gun!
Great meeting so many TftTers yesterday. Many congratulations to all the winners. Looking forward to next year already, when I hope to graduate to the swinging 60s.
Edited at 2018-11-04 10:03 am (UTC)
Well done to all on here. Enjoyed the event and the view from the 17th floor.
I then hooked up with Bolton Wanderer and Astonvilla1. Perhaps Accrington Stanley will turn up next year?
Great to talk to them and many more during the afternoon.
I held on to see who would win so was party to the big surprise.
There is a good selection of beer at The George. I was drinking IPA which did look rather dark so I asked them for a whiter shade of pale. To no avail!
All round a great afternoon and we were very lucky with the weather. An odd thing to say about a crossword championship. David
Sorry I missed many of you (old and new) at the George. I ended up in an area of the “beer garden” at the very edge of the crossword throng and wasn’t able to get round everybody. I’ll try and make amends next year. I did, however, have the pleasure of catching up with Verlaine, Keriothe, Mohn2, Topical Tim and Cryptic Sue and of meeting Phil Jordan for the first time. Congrats to V and M for the stellar performances, to Phil for making the final, to Keriothe for keeping me company as a first-timer and commiserations to Tim for the dreaded 13th. Well done also to Sue and my mate Ken (erstwhile Jumbo blogger 7dPenguin) for grabbing a free pass for next year.
Congrats to all finalists and prize winners, sorry I couldn’t hang around at the George but had left wife, daughter and newly-acquired foster daughter unattended with my credit card in Hamleys so had to go and rescue my financial security*.
Good to meet a few people again – albeit briefly – and to put a few more faces to names (most of which I’ll have forgotten by this time next year).
This time next year Rodney……
*actually they were quite well behaved all things told
At the time we were in Toulouse watching 250,000 crowding the streets watching a couple of mechanical giant creations stomping about and disrupting the city, allegedly an art ‘manifestation’.
https://www.euronews.com/2018/11/03/giant-mechanical-creatures-stroll-through-france-s-toulouse
Is possible I may be entering next year if am allowed to repatriate even temporarily, so I’d better make more effort to speed up! Or I may just go straight to the George and buy a round.
Roger Crabtree, 55, a former pensions clerk from Horsham, West Sussex, was crowned for the first time, dethroning Mark Goodliffe, a finance director from London, who had won every year since 2008. Both eased through their preliminary rounds to qualify for the afternoon’s grand final.
Mr Goodliffe, 53, completed his set of three crosswords in 24 minutes and 40 seconds, almost ten minutes ahead of the next finisher, Mr Crabtree.
However, spectators awaiting Mr Goodliffe’s 11th consecutive victory speech did not foresee the surprise that emerged from the marking room at London Bridge on Saturday. The serial champion had made an error, leaving Mr Crabtree, who submitted faultless solutions, to claim victory.
After receiving the trophy, Mr Crabtree said: “I’m still dazed. Lesser mortals like me are just hoping to complete the puzzles correctly. I thought Mark was going to win for all infinity.” He said he would spend the £1,000 prize on better Christmas presents for his family.
The clue that led to Mr Goodliffe’s downfall was 14 Across in the last puzzle of the grand final: Marshal calm when changing side repeatedly (5).
The correct answer was array, but Mr Goodliffe put arroy, believing it to be the name of a French military commander; he later said this was probably a misremembering of a character from CS Forester’s Hornblower novels.
He was gracious in defeat, however, saying: “My heartiest congratulations go to Roger; I’m delighted for him. He’s done well so often in the past.”
Second place went to Matthew Marcus, 44, a software developer, also from London, and third place was taken by John McCabe, 47, an investor from Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire.
The inaugural award for the most successful newcomer was claimed by James McGaughey, of St Albans, who won a bottle of champagne.
The crosswords were said to be the most difficult in years, with only seven of 24 contestants finishing all puzzles correctly. The nine championship puzzles will appear in The Times on consecutive Wednesdays from November 14.
Mr Goodliffe’s run may have ended but he need not be too disappointed, having won this year’s Times National Sudoku Championship.
Look forward to seeing you again at The George.
Finished 5th ( Simon Chillingworth).
It was interesting to note that the first 5 all came from the first heat. I rationed myself to the one pint of Portobello Porter before the final, I believe others were even more abstemious