As promised, here are full results, which were sent to me by the organiser with permission to put them up. Producing this HTML version from a Word doc took me about one hour with pretty basic tools, so quite why there’s nothing on a Times website after 3 days is beyond me.
Times are not given in these results. We know from the newspaper report that my winning time in the Grand Final was 37:48, nine seconds ahead of David Howell. Helen Ougham’s hand went up after 37:07. I think my time for 7th in Prelim 1 was about 26 minutes, and that the winning time was around 18. I know less about the times for Prelim 2 but believe the winning time was about 30-35 minutes, and that times up to about 48 minutes qualified for the Grand Final.
The first 25 in each preliminary heat get free entry to next year’s finals day without having to solve one of the qualifying puzzles in the paper.
First Preliminary Session
Position | Name |
Clues solved in each puzzle
|
Total
|
Time order
|
1 | Mr T Smith | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 2 |
2 | Mr P Brooksbank | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 3 |
3 | Mr D Howell | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 4 |
4 | Mr R J Crabtree | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 5 |
5 | Mr R Grafen | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 6 |
6 | Mr P Dodd | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 7 |
7 | Mr P Biddlecombe | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 8 |
8 | Mr M Macdonald-Cooper | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 9 |
9 | Mr N Talbott | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 10 |
10 | Mr P Meade | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 11 |
11 | Mr N Robinson | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 12 |
12 | Mr C Williams | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 13 |
13 | Mr S Shabankareh | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 14 |
14 | Mr A A P Thorpe | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 15 |
15 | Mr J A Sever | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 16 |
16 | Mr B W Tilling | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 17 |
17 | Mr M Clarke | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 18 |
18 | Mr D Meek | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 19 |
19 | Mr M Rupp | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 21 |
20 | Mr R J Green | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 23 |
21 | Mr K Burton | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 27 |
22 | Mr S Williams | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 28 |
23 | Dr R J Burscough | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 32 |
24 | Mr D Webb | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 37 |
25 | Mr J Baker | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 38 |
26 | Mr P M Navin | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 39 |
27 | Mr R J Fletcher | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 42 |
28 | Mr R Bull | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 44 |
29 | Mr N Parrack | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 45 |
30 | Miss P F M Jepson | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 47 |
31 | Mrs D Ross-Smith | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 50 |
32 | Mr D Le Fleming | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 52 |
33 | Mr J Henderson | 29, 30, 30 | 89 | 1 |
34 | Dr T Carnwath | 30, 30, 29 | 89 | 20 |
35 | Mr R P C Forman | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 22 |
36 | Mr G McHugh | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 24 |
37 | Mr P S N Kendall | 29, 30, 30 | 89 | 26 |
38 | Mr M Lewis | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 29 |
39 | Mr D Knight | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 30 |
40 | Mr J Robertson | 30, 30, 29 | 89 | 31 |
41 | Mr S Anthony | 30, 30, 29 | 89 | 34 |
42 | Mr S G Subbuswamy | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 35 |
43 | Mr N McHale | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 36 |
44 | Mrs J Keene | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 46 |
45 | Mr I Buxton | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 48 |
46 | Mr G Telfer | 30, 29, 29 | 88 | 33 |
47 | Mr I McNicol | 29, 29, 30 | 88 | 40 |
48 | Mr H M Beckitt | 28, 30, 30 | 88 | 51 |
49+ | Mr A Esau | 30, 28, 30 | 88 | |
49= | Mrs T M Thomas | 30, 29, 29 | 88 | |
51 | Mr M Jarrett | 30, 28, 29 | 87 | 41 |
52 | Mrs J Barker | 27, 30, 30 | 87 | 43 |
53= | Mr K Ward | 28, 29, 30 | 87 | |
53= | Mr J B Kirwin | 30, 30, 27 | 87 | |
53= | Mr S Cooper | 30, 27, 30 | 87 | |
53= | Mr T A Westwell | 30, 30, 27 | 87 | |
57 | Mr A Sanitt | 28, 29, 29 | 86 | 25 |
58 | Mr M Davison | 30, 30, 26 | 86 | |
59 | Mr A Johns | 29, 27, 29 | 85 | 49 |
60 | Mr M Slot | 29, 30, 26 | 85 | |
61= | Mr P Burkhardt | 25, 28, 29 | 82 | |
61= | Mr R Chambers | 29, 24, 29 | 82 | |
63 | Dr D Jones | 22, 30, 29 | 81 | |
64 | Mr A Clabburn | 26, 24, 27 | 77 | |
65 | Mr M Renshaw | 25, 29, 20 | 74 | |
66= | Mr G Stubbs | 15, 27, 30 | 72 | |
66= | Mr P Middlewick | 22, 25, 25 | 72 | |
68= | Mr D Henderson | 23, 21, 24 | 68 | |
68= | Mr A StJ Daly | 24, 16, 28 | 68 | |
70 | Mrs P Tooley | 26, 23, 13 | 62 | |
71 | Mr C Callaghan | 14, 15, 28 | 57 | |
72 | Mr I N McCaig | 12, 15, 18 | 45 | |
73 | Mr K Morris | 9, 12, 10 | 31 |
Second Preliminary Session
Position
|
Name
|
Clues solved in each puzzle
|
Total
|
Time order
|
1 | Dr H Ougham | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 1 |
2 | Mr J Roberts | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 2 |
3 | Mr P Jordan | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 3 |
4 | Mr S Chillingworth | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 4 |
5 | Sir John Sparrow | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 5 |
6 | Lord Aberdare | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 6 |
7 | Mr D M MacArthur | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 8 |
8 | Mr J Marshall | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 18 |
9 | Mr M Hodgkin | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 19 |
10 | Mr C J Brougham | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 23 |
11 | Mr R Cuthbert | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 24 |
12 | Mrs B J Widger | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 25 |
13 | Mr A Walker | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 26 |
14 | Mr P King | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 27 |
15 | Mr C Whorlow | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 29 |
16 | Mr T R Phillips | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 30 |
17 | Mr C Baser | 29, 30, 30 | 89 | 7 |
18 | Mr J S Williams | 29, 30, 30 | 89 | 9 |
19 | Mr A J Dorn | 30, 30, 29 | 89 | 10 |
20 | Mr P Chamberlain | 29, 30, 30 | 89 | 13 |
21 | Mr A Poulter | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 17 |
22 | Mr B Staveley | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 20 |
23 | Mrs L Jordan | 30, 30, 29 | 89 | 22 |
24 | Mr B Oliver | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 28 |
25 | Prof R Davies | 29, 30, 30 | 89 | 31 |
26 | Mr E Simpson | 29, 30, 30 | 89 | 32 |
27 | Mr S Feakes | 30, 29, 29 | 88 | 11 |
28 | Mr G R B Corser | 29, 30, 29 | 88 | 12 |
29 | Mr C Chapman | 29, 30, 29 | 88 | 14 |
30 | Mr R Boden | 29, 30, 29 | 88 | 15 |
31 | Dr A Martin | 29, 29, 30 | 88 | 16 |
32 | Mr A J Cannon | 29, 30, 29 | 88 | 21 |
33 | Mr P Gardiner | 29, 30, 29 | 88 | 33 |
34 | Mr P Rheinberg | 30, 28, 30 | 88 | |
35= | Mr A Cusworth | 29, 28, 29 | 86 | |
35= | Dr C P Wood | 29, 28, 29 | 86 | |
35= | Mr A Wallace | 30, 27, 29 | 86 | |
38= | Mr P Phair | 30, 26, 29 | 85 | |
38= | Mr M Jones | 29, 26, 30 | 85 | |
40= | Mr F Williams | 30, 26, 28 | 84 | |
40= | Mr M Thakkar | 30, 24, 30 | 84 | |
42 | Mr J Reardon | 30, 28, 25 | 83 | |
43 | Mr M H Hodgson | 27, 30, 25 | 82 | |
44 | Mr N French | 30, 27, 22 | 79 | |
45 | Mr B C Beckman | 28, 22, 28 | 78 | |
46 | Mrs A C Lambirth | 30, 27, 19 | 76 | |
47 | Mrs G U Bulloch | 25, 26, 24 | 75 | |
48 | Ms J McLeod | 28, 19, 26 | 73 | |
49 | Mr B Gray | 17, 27, 28 | 72 | |
50 | Mr M Jones | 18, 25, 26 | 69 | |
51= | Dr A L Jonathan | 30, 25, 13 | 68 | |
51= | Mr P M A Hopkin | 25, 20, 23 | 68 | |
51= | Mr P W Wigham | 24, 24, 20 | 68 | |
54 | Mrs V Black | 25, 27, 15 | 67 | |
55= | Dr E Marshall | 18, 21, 26 | 65 | |
55= | Mr K Fayle | 25, 18, 22 | 65 | |
57 | Mr J Daly | 24, 15, 25 | 64 | |
58 | Mr T Kirk | 28, 8, 24 | 60 | |
59 | Mr N Garthwaite | 28, 21, 9 | 58 | |
60 | Mr A Radevsky | 16, 15, 21 | 52 | |
61 | Mr A Cooper | 20, 2, 15 | 37 |
Grand Final
Position
|
Name
|
Clues solved in each puzzle
|
Total
|
Time order
|
1 | Mr P Biddlecombe | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 2 |
2 | Mr D Howell | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 3 |
3= | Mr P Meade | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 4 |
3= | Mr P Dodd | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 4 |
5 | Mr N Talbott | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 6 |
6 | Mr P Jordan | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 8 |
7 | Mr P Brooksbank | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 9 |
8 | Mr T Smith | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 10 |
9= | Mr C Williams | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 11 |
9= | Mrs B J Widger | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 11 |
11 | Mr R J Crabtree | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 16 |
12 | Mr S Chillingworth | 30, 30, 30 | 90 | 17 |
13 | Mr M Macdonald-Cooper | 30, 30, 29 | 89 | 7 |
14 | Mr J Roberts | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 14 |
15 | Mr R Grafen | 30, 29, 30 | 89 | 15 |
16 | Dr H Ougham | 30, 29, 29 | 88 | 1 |
17 | Mr N Robinson | 29, 29, 30 | 88 | 13 |
18 | Mr M Hodgkin | 29, 29, 30 | 88 | 18 |
19 | Prof R Cuthbert | 30, 27, 30 | 87 | |
20 | Sir John Sparrow | 30, 30, 24 | 84 | |
21 | Lord Aberdare | 23, 28, 30 | 81 | |
22 | Mr J Marshall | 28, 29, 18 | 75 | |
23 | Mr D M MacArthur | 30, 24, 15 | 69 | |
24 | Mr C J Brougham | 23, 15, 14 | 52 |
Steve Williams
I am slightly confused about the timings. Does 90 mean that each puzzle was completed in exactly 30 minutes?
Al Streatfield
The times were at or below the lower end of your estimate. I was intimidated out of starting my watch by the threat of expulsion should a watch alarm go off but think I was slightly under 32mins in 4th place. I was aware of J. Roberts alongside having finished several clues earlier but at this stage I could still see both Helen and Phil Jordan across the room writing – obviously getting a further bit of practice in for the afternoon.
Simon
I remember you in a previous Times final, having the grotty experience of being the last man on stage, but sticking to the task and finishing the puzzle correctly in the last minute of the 30 allowed.
JohnPMarshall
Do you start with one puzzle and do what you can, then move on to number two, then three? Or shop a bit and find one you can get a handle on quickly?
In a given puzzle do you read every clue through, writing in what you can, or concentrate on an area. By that I mean, say having solved 1a, do you then read 2a or look at 1d?
And this one might sound silly… but do you do a lot in your head and then go back and fill in the grid, or do you fill in the grid as you solve clues?
(I ask that because I usually try to complete the Sunday puzzle without filling in the grid.)
And are there ANY working scribbles on the pages when you are done? (I’ve always got anagrams peppered across mine.)
I’d love to hear!
Barb
As far as I know, all the serious contenders use an ‘area’ approach – the help from checking letters is essential for quick times.
I only keep things in my head if I think they’re about to produce an answer. So other ideas about bits of answers or clues get scribbled by the clue, and confident answers are written (in pencil) immediately. This means there is working scribble, but as far as I remember, there was only one anagram in this year’s final for which I had to write out the letters – I can do most anagrams in my head.
I did find I had a quicker time in a practice by concentrating on each corner.
My usual approach is to read the clues in order and aim to beat my current record of 24 answers in the first whip-through. It is clear that is NOT going to get me a placing in RTC!
Barb
Please accept belated congratulations on your win from a lowly competitor (44th in the second preliminary).
Nigel French