PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER FILLS IN THE BLANKS IN THE U.S. PUZZLE SCENE
WITH FIRST-EVER NATIONAL SUDOKU CHAMPIONSHIP

The Philadelphia Inquirer Sudoku National Championship Scheduled for
October 19-21, 2007 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center

PHILADELPHIA, May 24, 2007 – Ready, set, solve. In a press conference today, Brian P. Tierney, Chief Executive Officer of Philadelphia Media Holdings and Philadelphia Inquirer Publisher, announced that The Philadelphia Inquirer will launch The Philadelphia Inquirer Sudoku National Championship (www.philly.com/sudoku) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on October 19-21, 2007. The championship will be hosted by world-renowned puzzle master Will Shortz (insert mention of New York Times national crossword puzzle championship, to link Shortz and crosswords and The Times) and will be open to a national and international field of contestants. The Championship will have three levels of solvers – beginner, intermediate and advanced, and will include a weekend of fun for sudoku enthusiasts.

“The Inquirer is thrilled to sponsor the first national sudoku championship. The decision to sponsor this championship comes as part of our effort to better serve current and potential readers who enjoy solving puzzles,” said Mr. Tierney. “At the same time we will be significantly strengthening our print and online sudoku puzzles. By making a three-year commitment to this championship, The Inquirer hopes to become the go-to newspaper and website for sudoku puzzle solvers.”

It’s tricky to say, and even more challenging to play, but sudoku has become a puzzle phenomenon since its international debut in 2005. The first world championship was held in Italy in 2006 and Prague in 2007; this Inquirer championship in Philadelphia marks the first national sudoku contest of its kind with the winner earning a spot on the U.S. Sudoku Team.

The October tournament weekend will feature fun puzzle games for serious and casual sudoku players, culminating in a one-day championship to determine the best sudoku player in the United States. There will also be top prizes for winners in the beginner and intermediate categories.

“It’s been a dream of mine for two years to conduct a national sudoku championship,” said renowned puzzle master Will Shortz. “It is exciting to watch the dream become a reality and also see sudoku find its place in everyday American culture.”

In addition to a spot on the U.S. World Sudoku Team, the advanced level winner will receive $10,000 plus expenses paid for travel and accommodations to the World Sudoku Championship in India. The intermediate winner will be awarded $5,000 and the beginner level winner will receive $3,000. There will also be trophies and $100 prizes awarded to players in a variety of categories such as age, area of residence and years of sudoku experience. The competition is open to people from under 10 years of age to over 80.

“This is going to be a great event not only for sudoku solvers, but also for the city of Philadelphia,” said Mayor John F. Street. “The championship will attract many new and different visitors to our world class city, and by hosting this event annually, I know that Philadelphia will establish itself as the sudoku capitol of the United States.”

Tournament Schedule

The tentative tournament schedule is as follows:

Friday, October 19, 2007
Welcome Reception and Warm-Up Puzzles
Location: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Saturday, October 20, 2007
Championship Schedule
Saturday, October 20, 2007

Sign-in: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Rounds 1, 2: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Break for lunch: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Round 3: 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Bonus Round: 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Finals: 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Awards Presentation: 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 20, 2007
Championship Dinner
Location: Pennsylvania Convention Center
Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Sunday, October 21, 2007
*Historic tours of Philadelphia and the region

Registration Site

To register for the championship or for more information about the weekend’s activities please visit www.philly.com/sudoku.

About Philadelphia Media Holdings

Philadelphia Media Holdings, LLC, is the leading media company in the Philadelphia region. Privately held and locally owned, PMH is the owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News, philly.com, related online products and several community newspapers. With almost one million people reading The Inquirer each day, and 1.6 million on Sundays, The Inquirer is the region’s most-read daily newspaper. Together with the Daily News, the #1 tab newspaper in the region, which reaches 500,000 readers each week, and philly.com, the #1 website in the region, Philadelphia Media Holdings, LLC, reaches almost 2 million people each day.

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