NY Times puzzle extravaganzas

The New York Times started running somewhat-regular mini-extravaganzas* back on July 4, 2003. It actually succeeded in selling me a copy of the paper for the first one. After I found out that one was published online, I stopped rushing out to score a hardcopy, but I have followed along closely online.

I think you’ll have to have a free NY Times login (or borrow a communal one from bugmenot.com) to get to the puzzles themselves.

Here are links to all of them so far (from newest to oldest):
The Old College Try (June 4, 2005)
Beat the Clock (December 31, 2004)
Let the Games Begin! (August 12, 2004)
Presents of Mind (December 25, 2003)
Patriot Games (July 5, 2003)

The thing about these puzzles is that, while challenging, they require no specialized puzzle-solving knowledge. In that respect, they’re probably appealing to a much wider variety of people than the highly specialized puzzle events that I normally participate in. I have had a lot of fun with all of them so far, and I hope the Times continues this tradition.

*mini-extravaganzas, as defined by the National Puzzlers’ League, are a number of puzzles having a theme or storyline, and usually with a final puzzle incorporating information from all previous stages.

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