My Puzzling Friends: Katherine Bryant

[mabfan]

One of the people I feel very privileged to be friends with is Katherine Bryant (LJ: saxikath). And this weekend, I have many reasons to wish her good luck.

Katherine Bryant Solves a Sunday Times Puzzle Photo copyright © Michael A. Burstein. All rights reserved.

I first met Katherine in my sophomore year of college, when she was in her first year. We met through the Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert & Sullivan Players' production of Princess Ida. We were both in the chorus, and as it so happens, the director chose to make us a G&S couple, so that gave us a chance to talk. Even back in college, I was impressed with her quick wit, her love of wordplay, and her ability to solve puzzles. (Embarrassed yet, Katherine? Be glad I didn't mention your appearance on Jeopardy!)

Our own lives caused us to drift apart for a few years until we found ourselves working together at the same company. During that time, Katherine became very well-known in the puzzling community. For one thing, she spent many years serving as the editor of The Enigma, the monthly magazine of the National Puzzlers' League. And for another...

For the past few years, she's consistently scored in the highest levels at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. The ACPT is known as Stamford to many people, since until last year it was held at a hotel in Stamford, Connecticut. Last year it moved to Brooklyn, where it's being held again this year.

Katherine was already placing in the top ten at the ACPT even before we started working together in December 2005. But after she returned from the 2006 ACPT, I decided that I wanted to help her out. So since March of 2006 or so, I've taken on the role of being Katherine's personal "puzzle trainer." Essentially, every workday morning I've made a copy of that day's New York Times crossword puzzle, and then timed her on it. Katherine routinely finishes the puzzle in anywhere from two to six minutes. On occasion, it's taken her a little longer, but those occasions are few and far between.

This weekend, Katherine will once again be competing in the ACPT, and I'll be staying at home, rooting for her in my "Team Bryant" warm-up jacket. I hope she manages to get to the top three, and then win, because then I'll get to check that off my list of life goals: have a friend who wins the ACPT. But even if she doesn't, I'm still delighted that she's allowed me to be a part of it over the past three years.

Good luck, saxikath!

Katherine Bryant Solves Andrew Greene's Puzzle Photo copyright © Michael A. Burstein. All rights reserved.

Comments

[thudthwacker.livejournal.com]

Two to six minutes? Man. She probaby does it in pen, too.

[ennienyc.livejournal.com]

But you do already have a friend who won the ACPT (even though you met me after I won).

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

This is very true! But as you say, we met after you had won. So I probably ought to change the life goal to something like having a friend whom I've known since college who won the ACPT...