Times Crossword Championship 2007 – results

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

11 comments on “Times Crossword Championship 2007 – results”

  1. Peter, thanks for posting these results, and very belatedly, many congratulations on your victory. (I was the bloke sitting behind you in the morning session of the championship).

    Steve Williams

  2. Congratulations to Peter on winning.

    I am slightly confused about the timings. Does 90 mean that each puzzle was completed in exactly 30 minutes?

    Al Streatfield

  3. Peter,

    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

    1. Thanks Simon – I should have thought before of e-mailing Helen to ask about her time as winner of heat 2. Whatever she told me on the day I’ve obviously forgotten.

      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.

  4. I didn’t have a watch but think I was about 45-48 minutes for 8th – I note that I was very lucky in that I only finished 18th but 10 quicker finishers made a mistake (or 2.)
    JohnPMarshall
  5. So maybe I could ask a few questions here about how everyone approaches the competition.

    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

    1. I just do what I can of each puzzle and then move on. Last year, I’m pretty sure I completed all three in the prelim round as separate puzzles. In the final I jumped between puzzles several times as I kept getting stuck. In this year’s prelims, I left one tricky short word in No.1 but then did each of 2 and 3 in full before coming back to work it out. The final appeared to go the same way, but it turned out that the reason for being one answer short in No. 1 was a mistake on an intersecting clue.

      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.

      1. Thanks, Peter.

        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

  6. Many thanks for posting the results. I have been looking for them on The Times’ website for ages. Why can’t they publish them as they promised to do??

    Please accept belated congratulations on your win from a lowly competitor (44th in the second preliminary).

    Nigel French

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