Patna: The National Inter-college Crossword Expedition (NICE) 2025, India’s leading cryptic crossword competition for college students, has introduced a new category to include freshers awaiting admission into higher education institutions.
Responding to growing demand from students keen to join the contest, organisers have launched the ACA (Awaiting College Admission) category, allowing students who have completed their Class XII Board examinations this year but are yet to secure college placements to participate in the early online rounds.
Traditionally, NICE has been open only to students enrolled in colleges or universities. The addition of the ACA category marks a significant step towards expanding access and fostering early interest in cryptic crosswords among aspiring college students.
Participants in the ACA category will be able to take part in the four scheduled online rounds:
- Round N: May 18, 2025
- Round I: May 25, 2025
- Round C: June 1, 2025
- Round E: June 8, 2025
During registration, these participants must enter “ACA (Awaited College Admission)” in the field designated for their college or university name. Once admitted to a higher education institution, they will need to update their details by July 31, 2025, to qualify for the zonal rounds that follow.
Organisers said the move was aimed at democratising the event and nurturing the spirit of critical thinking, wordplay, and lateral reasoning from an early stage. Registration for NICE 2025 is now open at https://nice.crypticsingh.com/register.
