Gregg Inderhees works on a game of Group Suduko for the first time with his daughter Rachel, 11, during last year's Silicon Valley Puzzle Day at Sobrato High School.
Silicon Valley may have become synonymous with computer chips and the dot-coms, but some local hobbyists may just be making a dent in the stereotype.
Armed with sudoku and crosswords, they're coming back to Morgan Hill on Sunday, Feb. 3, when the Silicon Valley Puzzle Day takes place at the city's library. Puzzlers 8 years old and up can compete in tournaments and win prizes. Last year, AIM provided a $100 savings bond and Fry's Electronics donated almost a dozen gift certificates, from $25 to $50 each.
There will also be opportunities to watch some people who are really good at what they do.
"We think we'll draw Sudoku and crossword puzzles enthusiasts from all over the Bay Area to Morgan Hill," said event co-chair Lisa Pampuch (Pampuch is also a member of the Times' editorial board).
A handful of "puzzle gurus" will be on hand. New York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz will provide the puzzles for the adult crossword tournament.
Puzzle Day, which will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Morgan Hill Library, divides tournament participants into youth (ages eight to 15) and adult (16 and over) divisions. Each tournament consists of three puzzles of increasing difficulty that participants will have to complete within a time limit. Scoring is based on the number of correct answers in the least amount of time.
The "puzzle gurus" who are scheduled to make an appearance are Santa Clara University mathematics professor Byron Walden, engineer Ganesh T S, "professional namer" and writer Andrea Carla Michaels and Brian Conrey, executive director of the American Institute of Mathematics, one of the event's major sponsors.
Morgan Hill resident Emily Shem-Tov was the driving force behind the tournament in its debut last year.
"I really liked the idea of having a California-grown tournament," she told the Times for a story last February. "It's so unique it's happening here on the west coast ... nobody else is doing anything like it."
Shem-Tov is a member of the Beyond Books Campaign's steering committee and a research librarian at Adobe Systems in San Jose. She's also the grandniece of late crossword puzzle author Eugene Sheffer, whose name still appears on King Features Syndicate puzzles.
Second Annual Silicon Valley Puzzle Day
What: An event for puzzle fans of all levels with crossword and sudoku contests and a marketplace.
When: 11am-5pm, Saturday, Feb. 3
Where: Morgan Hill Public Library, 660 W. Main St.
Cost: Free to attend to watch. A $5 donation is suggested for tournament participants.
Slav Kandyba Slav Kandyba covers city and county issues for South Valley Newspapers. Reach him at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201 or e-mail him.
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