Patna: Students from Bihar have achieved a rare feat by securing the top three positions in the national leaderboard at the end of Phase I of the CCCC Cryptic Crossword Contest 2026.
A team comprising Nanya Dev Singh and Hemang Chandra from Delhi Public School topped the national rankings, while Dhairya Pandey of Don Bosco Academy secured second place as an individual participant.
The third position was claimed by Sudhanshu Nayak and Shubhi Srivastava from Darbhanga Public School.
Strong Showing Across States
The competition, popularly known as CCCC, saw participation from schools across India, with 13 teams emerging as state toppers.
Among notable performers, Vaishnavi Nayak from Holy Cross School in Darbhanga topped Bihar in the individual category, while participants from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, and Assam also secured leading positions.
Multi-Stage National Contest
Organised by Extra-C, the contest is conducted in three phases, combining online and offline rounds.
Following the completion of Phase I, the top 100 teams on the cumulative leaderboard will advance to Phase II, a face-to-face online round.
From there, the top 40 teams will qualify for the national grand finale in New Delhi, where they will compete for the championship title.
Broad Participation
Participants can compete either individually or in teams of two, contributing to a diverse field of competitors.
In addition to national rankings, 51 school teams also topped their respective city merit lists.
Looking Ahead
Officials said details of the next phase will be shared with qualifying teams shortly.
The competition, now in its 14th edition, continues to attract participation from students across the country, reflecting growing interest in academic competitions beyond traditional subjects.
