It begins

So l started this adventure by leaving my debit card on the plane and therefore spending half of the train ride to Stamford on the phone with my bank. Then my hotel reservation disappeared, making me wonder if I was going to reenact the supply closet scene from Best in Show. But all ended well and I am here and have already made five new friends.

Will Shortz, the NYT crossword guru that makes this all possible, had a stroke two months ago so his appearance was both heart warming and breaking.

And then the evil genius behind Connections showed up and gave us 4 absolutely dastardly puzzles.

That’s Wyna Liu. I did not throw tomatoes at her, as was requested. If you want to attempt the puzzles, you can find them here - http://acptconnections.com/

And yes, there are enough people here that the better picture to take was a projection. The ballroom was packed, with people standing around the edges. It’s insane.

From the limited conversations I’ve had with a few competitors, I’m feeling good. I think I’m up there when it comes to finish times. We shall see. First puzzle at 11 tomorrow!