#2--before the start

I am sandwiched between Trey from Kansas City, KS and Jeanie from Lincoln, NE, both rookies. They seem pretty calm. Little do they know what is in store, after puzzle #1.
Jeanie is emailing her parents (John and Lois) the link to this blog--so from here on out, I am going to have to be Midwest-appropriate. So here's a shout-out to the 402 (you know who you are).

Trey saw Word Play, likes Will Shortz, listens to NPR--this is the core audience, folks--and does multiple crossword puzzles EVERY DAY, including USA Today (a fine Gannett publication) and the Kansas City Star. And of course the NY Times, which he gets a month late in the Star (except the Sunday puzzle, which is a week late). Which only goes to show, not EVERYTHING is up to date in Kansas City. He has brought a hand-written list of 179 tough words--led by "inure," meaning "accustom," and finishing with Uri (the famous canton in Switzerland, birthplace of William Tell).

Jeanie is an RN. Her patients are dying as we speak, but she doesn't care, because she is on a massive adrenaline rush. Trey is a health care software technology investor guy. He doesn't have to wear ties. Which will make him stand out like a sore thumb among the well-dressed, well-tailored crossword crowd here at the tourney. Anna Wintour would find much to like among the crossword grid motif-festooned hordes.