World Champ Puzzlers

DARTMOUTH SENIOR CHRIS Morse joined three other Americans late last June taking home the first annual World Puzzle Team Championship held in New York City by Games Magazine.

Thirteen teams competed, from Japan to Croatia to the U.S. and Canadian teams, in atwo-day series of tests to seewhich country could solve themost puzzles in the least time.All of the puzzles dealt withmath and logic, according toeditor of Games Magazine WillShortz. Puzzles included hiddenfaces, tangrams, and 3-Dblock problems.

"The U.S. really ran awaywith it—by several hundredpoints," said Shortz. Argentinabeat out the others for thesecond-place trophy.

In all, things went prettysmoothly, according to Morse."We lost some Slovenians onLiberty Island while looking atthe Statue of Liberty," he said."But other than that, it was agreat cultural experience. Thepuzzles took the back burnerto the friendship and fun."

Morse builta worldwidepuzzlingreputation.