Hey, I came here to get away from school and tests.	Eyes on your own papers, please.

Once again players competed in five challenging puzzles with a possible perfect score of 125.  There was much mirth from the 50 contestants, who set an alltime attendance record during the new evening timeslot before Slapshot, on the reading of the rules to set the tone for this festive trivia contest.  Continuing the GM's tradition, several of the night's categories were based on other games played at WBC.  As in prior years, a good showing on several puzzles proved sufficient to win. 

Puzzle 1 categories: U.S. National Parks; Heisman Trophy Winners from 1960 forward; Woody Allen Film Titles; U.S. Army 4-star Generals 1900-1954; and Jethro Tull album titles across the letters A, C, P, S and T.   Ted Drozd led the pack with 13 correct answers, hotly followed by former champion Richard Meyer with 12.  Facts in 5 expert (and former GM) Richard Irving managed to get nine correct. 

Puzzle 2 improved Irving's score considerably when he managed 17 correct answers in the categories: Canada Provinces or capitals; James Bond movie Titles; Mexican States; Bridges in or to New York City and Civil Air Patrol Phonetic Alphabet on the letters C, M, O, Q and T.  Your GM was extremely proud of incorporating a Q into a puzzle!   Defending champ Paul Bean tied Irving's 17, sharing the honors for high score of the night. 

Irving did it again in Puzzle 3 where he knew 16 of the following: Films winning both the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Film; Shakespeare plays; Seas; Current N.H.L. Team Nicknames and Polar Explorers on letters A, C, L, M and P.  But Rich Meyer was hot on his heals with a 14. At this point, Irving led Meyers in total score by just two points. 

Meyers was joined at the top in Puzzle 4 by Rob Winslow with both scoring 13 in categories: Dickens Novels; German Battleships; Beatles' White Album Song Titles; U.S. Constitution Signers; and 2008 N.A.T.O. Nations (B, D, G, H, P).  The Beatles category stymied Irving, while Winslow was the only one to know all the NATO nations.

Meyer only needed to tie Irving in the last puzzle to win, which sought: Old Testament Books; Sondheim major stage works; song titles on Who's Tommy; James Bond villains; and female U.S. Senators (C, D, G, M and S).  Amazingly, Meyer could remember four Bond villains and Sweeney Todd and Micah and Cousin Kevin, but could not remember the Bible begins with the book of Genesis or that Hillary Clinton is a senator!  Still, he squeaked out a 12, which edged Irving's 11.  Final scores were Richard Meyer 65, Richard Irving 62, Ted Drozd 59, David Burkey 53, Francis Spencer 52, and Rob Winslow 51.