Patna: American crossword solver Erik Agard won Round 5 of the Indian Crossword League (IXL) 2026, held on October 25, finishing ahead of Australia’s Philip Coote and Indian participant Sohil Bhagat.
Agard secured the first position in the weekly competition, with Coote taking second place and Bhagat finishing third. The round brought together participants from different countries to compete in the online cryptic crossword championship.
Round 5 Leaderboard
The top three positions in the fifth round were secured by:
1. Erik Agard
2. Philip Coote
3. Sohil Bhagat
The results highlight the international participation in the league, which tests contestants’ accuracy, analytical abilities and speed in solving cryptic crossword puzzles.
Ramakrishnan K. Krishnan Leads Overall Standings
Meanwhile, Chennai-based Ramakrishnan K. Krishnan continues to lead the cumulative leaderboard after Round 5.
Harish Kamath from Bangalore holds the second position, while Samit Kallianpur of Secunderabad is placed third.
The top three in the cumulative standings are:
1. Ramakrishnan K. Krishnan – Chennai
2. Harish Kamath – Bangalore
3. Samit Kallianpur – Secunderabad
About The Indian Crossword League
Organised by Extra-C, the Indian Crossword League is an international online cryptic crossword competition that brings together enthusiasts from India and other countries.
The league aims to encourage participation in crossword solving and promote analytical thinking, linguistic skills and intellectual engagement through wordplay.
With more rounds scheduled, participants will continue competing for positions on the cumulative leaderboard as the 2026 championship progresses.
