New Delhi: Fifteen school teams from across India advanced to the quarter-finals on Thursday as the two-day Grand Finale of the CCCC Cryptic Crossword Contest 2025 began at YMCA Delhi. The national inter-school championship, regarded as India’s leading student crossword contest, will culminate on Friday with three semi-finals and a final faceoff to decide the National Crossword Champion 2025.
Forty teams, accompanied by mentor teachers, reached Delhi after clearing two gruelling online preliminary stages held between July and September. Day one opened with a written round in which each two-member team attempted a 24-puzzle grid. This was followed by an onstage “Extra-C Round” of cryptic clues themed on India. Combined scores from both rounds determined the 15 teams progressing to the next stage.
The event was inaugurated in the presence of several senior officials. Chief Guest Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary, attended alongside Jitendra Srivastava, CMD of REC Ltd; Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, DG and CEO of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs; Amitav Sinha, Director-General of Income Tax; Sharat Sinha of Delhi Police; and Vivek Kumar Singh, Chairman of RERA Bihar.
Addressing students and teachers, the dignitaries praised Extra-C — the civil society organisation that conducts the contest — for fostering a competitive, intellectually stimulating platform for school students. They noted that cryptic crosswords sharpen cognitive skills and offer long-term benefits, including strengthening mental agility and helping guard against neurological conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
The ceremony also featured the unveiling of the National Crossword Champion Trophy 2025, the official CCCC 2025 T-shirt, and the release of the contest souvenir and diary. The competition continues on Friday with knock-out rounds leading to the crowning of this year’s champions.
