by KYW's Mike DeNardo
After a month-long investigation, the third-place contestant in the National Sudoku Championship, held last month in Philadelphia, has been stripped of his winnings.
Judges at the Inquirer National Sudoku Championship were puzzled when contestant Eugene Varshavsky, wearing a hoodie and headphones, blew through the early rounds to make the finals, only to struggle mightily on his final grid when the headphones came off.
Tournament spokesman Jay Devine says an investigation began (see related story), and Varshavsky was given a retest last week:
"He was actually given two of the very same puzzles that he had solved in the third round of the championship in 14 minutes -- but was unable to fill in more than a few digits of two of the puzzles in 23 minutes."
Officials stripped him of the $3,000 prize and gave it to the fourth-place finisher. Devine says it's possible the rule against having "solving aids" could be clarified before next year's championship.
(Graphic from Phila. Inquirer)
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