England Sweep Titles at Inaugural World Cryptic Crossword Championship in London

London: England has claimed an emphatic victory in the first-ever World Cryptic Crossword Championship (WCCC) Team Championship, held at The Nehru Centre in London, solidifying its reputation as the spiritual home of cryptic crosswords.

Mark Goodliffe, a 13-time Times Crossword champion, emerged as the individual World Cup winner, with fellow English solvers Colin Thomas and John Henderson securing second and third place, respectively, completing a clean sweep for the host nation.

The top six solvers were rounded out by Philip Coote from Australia, Matthew Marcus from the United States, and Shashwat Salgaonkar from India, whose performances underscored the championship’s global reach and high calibre of talent.

Organised by the India-based not-for-profit Extra-C under the leadership of Vivek Singh, president of the World Crossword Federation, the WCCC was designed to elevate cryptic crosswords onto the world stage. Speaking during the inaugural session, Singh said: “Crossword puzzles have endured for over 111 years—older than many celebrated sports. Yet setters and solvers have rarely enjoyed the international spotlight they deserve. The WCCC was born to create a world platform that would honour, celebrate and inspire the cruciverbalist community.”

The event, inaugurated by Naorem J. Singh, director of The Nehru Centre, brought together top crossword talent and enthusiasts from around the world. Singh hailed the competition for fostering cultural and intellectual connections through a shared love of language.

The contest featured two demanding rounds. In the preliminary off-stage round, participants tackled two cryptic grids in 60 minutes, with performance judged on accuracy and speed. The top six solvers advanced to an on-stage final, facing the formidable challenge of solving two “cold” cryptic grids with no letters revealed in a fast-paced quiz-style format.

Veteran crossword expert Ochintya Sharma hosted the live final, captivating both contestants and audience with his deft mix of humour, quick thinking and insightful commentary. His presence lent gravitas and a sense of camaraderie to the proceedings.

The event was widely praised by leading figures in the crossword community. Mick Hodgkin, puzzle editor at The Times, said the quality and difficulty of the puzzles were “exceptional,” and praised the championship for uniting the global crossword fraternity.

Ashley Knowles, known as “Boatman” in cryptic circles, called the atmosphere “exactly what you’d expect from a world-class event,” while columnist Suzie Mesure highlighted the growing inclusivity in a traditionally male-dominated domain. “It was encouraging to see women like Jeane Willson from the UK, Anicha Rebuam from Germany, and Sowmya Ramkumar from Bahrain competing and excelling. This contest is helping to challenge norms and open doors for new voices—especially young female setters,” she said.

Dr Divya Prakash, a noted orthopaedic surgeon and puzzle enthusiast, praised the organisers for delivering not merely a contest, but “a celebration of intellect, creativity and global unity.”

Vinayak Ekbote, vice president of the Crossword Association of Delhi, moderated the proceedings, bringing what organisers described as poise, humour and a deep understanding of crossword culture to the event.

The WCCC Team Championship marks the first international competition dedicated to cryptic crossword excellence. Founded by Extra-C and endorsed by the World Crossword Federation, the initiative seeks to place crosswords alongside other global mind sports, blending competition with cultural exchange.