Dan Feyer
Sport | |
---|---|
Country | ![]() |
Sport | Cruciverbalism, Other puzzling |
Event | Solving |
Achievements and titles | |
National finals | 2010–2015, 2017, 2019: American Crossword Puzzle Tournament Champion |
Dan Feyer is a crossword solver and editor and the eight-time winner of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT). He holds the tournament record for the most championships ever, with eight total championships, and the most consecutive championships, with six.[1] He was described by The New York Times as "the wizard who is fastest of all,"[2] solving The New York Times' Saturday crossword in an average of 4:03 minutes each week and the Sunday crossword in an average 5:38 minutes.[3] He is listed in the Guinness World Records for both "Most wins of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament" and "most consecutive ACPT wins."[4]
Puzzle career
Feyer began solving puzzles seriously in 2006, after watching the documentary Wordplay about the ACPT.[5] He first entered the ACPT in 2008, placing 45th.[3] In 2009 he placed 4th. From 2010 until 2015, he placed 1st; in 2016, he placed 2nd to Howard Barkin; in 2017, he placed 1st; in 2018, he placed 2nd to Erik Agard; and, in 2019, he again placed 1st. In 2021, the tournament was held virtually for the first time, and Feyer finished 8th.[6]
In 2009, Feyer won the Express Division of the Lollapuzzoola puzzle tournament, for which he has also constructed.[citation needed]
In 2014, his rivalry with Tyler Hinman was described by Time as "America's most elite crossword puzzle rivalry,"[7] with veteran crossword editor Will Shortz describing them as "in a class of their own, the type who can flawlessly tear through a New York Times Sunday crossword in under four minutes."[7]
References
- ^ "Puzzling it out: Story of an American crossword champ". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ Denise Grady (December 6, 2010). "Across and Down, the Wizard Who Is Fastest of All". New York Times. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ a b "A Million Little Boxes". FiveThirtyEight. April 17, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- ^ "American Crossword Puzzle Tournament". Guinness World Records. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ "Four Down". Princeton Alumni Weekly. April 24, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
- ^ "Capsule History of the Tournament". American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ a b "Inside America's Most Elite Crossword Puzzle Rivalry". Time. March 12, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2021.