Crossword Puzzle Tournament Moving to Philadelphia in 2027

Break out your pencils and pens: The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT) is relocating from Stamford, Connecticut, to Philadelphia in 2027. Growing popularity and the need for a larger venue are two factors prompting the change.

Leading the move is Will Shortz, the longtime New York Times crossword editor, who will relocate the event to the Liberty Ballroom at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown. This venue is capable of hosting up to 1,250 contestants. The tournament will be held there from April 30 to May 2 next year.

“Philadelphia has a cultured audience,” Shortz said to The Philadelphia Inquirer. “It's just a great city to have a major literary event at.”

Shortz founded the ACPT in 1978 at the Stamford Marriott when he was only 25. The event has grown from 149 contestants in its first year to 926 participants this year, along with a long waiting list.

The ACPT is held over three days and consists of eight rounds of puzzles. All contestants compete in the first seven rounds, which are still conducted on paper.

“I want everyone to compete equally,” Shortz told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Some people are very fast with their fingers, so I wouldn't want the tournament to depend on your computer literacy.”

Contestants are judged based on accuracy and completion time. They can compete in multiple divisions, with an eighth-round playoff for the top three divisions. The division A winner receives a $7,500 prize and crossword bragging rights for a year. Paolo Pasco, a 24-year-old crossword puzzle builder and seven-time Jeopardy! winner who's competing in the show's Tournament of Champions this month, won the last two tournaments.

Shortz said he is looking forward to creating a new chapter for the ACPT in Philadelphia. “We're faced with so many challenges every day in life, and we just muddle through and do the best we can, and we don't know if we have the best solution,” Shortz said. “But when you solve a crossword puzzle … it gives you a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. You put the world in order.”