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A group of enthusiasts today launched the second edition of the Indian Crossword League or IXL 2014, which will involve a combination of online and offline puzzle- solving contests.
The contest, which is open for Indians across the globe, will culminate on December 21, the 101st anniversary of the crossword, and will see 10 finalists vying to become the crossword-solving champion.
UK Sinha, chairman of capital markets regulator Sebi, launched the tournament today and also unveiled the trophy which will be given to the winner.
The contest is an individual crossword-solving competition based on the round-robin format and will include 10 weekly, online rounds culminating in an offline final.
Registration for the contest has been on since August 15 and over 400 enthusiasts already have put in their names.
The tournament, conceptualised by Bihar-cadre IAS officer Vivek Singh, saw 650 people enrolling for its maiden run last year. The organisers are confident of an increase in the numbers this year.
"Crosswords provide a creative avenue for practising not only our general knowledge and language skills but also (helps) enhance our mindfulness, concentration and sharpens our focus," Singh said.
