Participants and Divisions
Anyone can participate, though registration is limited. Participants complete as members of at least two divisions, with prizes awarded based on division. All participants are members of Division A and a regional division; those 25 years old or younger, or at least 50 years old, are also members of an age division. Membership in Divisions B-E and the Rookie Division is based on the participant's past or present tournament status. For the purposes of prizes contestants compete simultaneously in all divisions for which they are eligible, with no more than one cash prize per contestant.
The 11 regional divisions include ten U.S. divisions and a "Foreign" division for the rest of the world. Geographically, three of the 10 U.S. divisions — West, Midwest, and South — span most of the country. The remaining seven divisions are in the northeastern United States, with three of the seven located in the state of New York.
| Division | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Everyone | |
| B | Contestants who have not won a Division A or Division B prize during their last seven tournaments | |
| C | Contestants who have not finished in the top 20% during their last three tournaments | |
| D | Contestants who have not finished in the top 40% during their last three tournaments | |
| E | Contestants who have not finished in the top 65% during their last three tournaments | |
| Age Divisions |
Juniors | 25 years and under |
| Fifties | 50–59 years old | |
| Sixties | 60–69 years old | |
| Seventies | 70–79 years old | |
| Seniors | 80+ years old | |
| 11 Regional Divisions (locations in italics are for illustrative purposes only) |
||
| (Northeast) | New York City, Long Island, Westchester/Upstate New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Other New England, Other Mid-Atlantic | |
| South | Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida | |
| Midwest | Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio | |
| West | Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas | |
| Foreign | (outside of the United States) | |
| Rookies | Contestants competing for their first time. Rookies are not eligible for "D" or "E" prizes. | |
Read more about this topic: American Crossword Puzzle Tournament
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