By Jas Ayles
After a sold-out debut last year, the Westsider Crossword Tournament returns to Williamstown Town Hall this June as part of the Willy Lit Fest.
Held on Saturday June 13, competitors will battle it out across three increasingly difficult preliminary rounds, racing against the clock for a coveted place in the live final. The top three scorers will then face off in front of the crowd on giant whiteboards – in what can only be described as part intellectual showdown, part deeply specific spectator sport.
Puzzles are created by crossword setter and Westsider contributor Eliesha Rae, whose clue style blends wordplay, irreverent Aussie humour and the occasional western suburbs in-joke.
The tournament is open to all skill levels – from seasoned solvers who travel with a mechanical pencil at all times, to people who mostly just enjoy yelling “I knew that one” afterwards. Spectators are also welcome, making it a surprisingly entertaining morning even if you’ve never voluntarily completed a crossword in your life.
There’ll be prizes, bragging rights, and the kind of intense competitive energy usually reserved for pub trivia finals and IKEA car parks on a Sunday afternoon.
Keen to brush up before the big day? Eliesha’s beginner-friendly ebook Across It – a guide to solving NYT-style crosswords with an Aussie twist – is available for $5 online, and past Westsider crosswords can be found on this site (for anyone wanting a practice run before tournament day).
Tickets and full event details are available via the Willy Lit Fest website (willylitfest.org.au).
You can find Across It at omfsocials.com/shop/p/across-it-ebook
