Listener Crossword: Awards
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Two trophies, generously donated by Ascot, are awarded annually:

Solver Silver Salver

The Solver Silver Salver is awarded to the Listener solver who has sent the most correct puzzles during the year.

The skill and persistence of Listener solvers is such that several often complete every puzzle successfully and it is necessary to go back a year or more to find the solver with the longest all-correct run. Simon Long holds the current record, with a run of 330 consecutive correct entries (from No 3788 to No 4117) as of the end of 2010.

If the leading solver in a year has already won the Solver Silver Salver in a previous year, it is now traditional for the award to be ceded to the next highest-placed solver.

Ascot Gold Cup

This, in reality a Silver Rose Bowl, is awarded to the most admired Listener puzzle during the year. This is decided on by the winner of the Solver Silver Salver, often in partnership with other top solvers for the year. The 2005 winner was Kea.

The table below lists all winners to date. Other all-correct solvers (and sometimes puzzles placed 2nd and 3rd) in each year, can be found in the Annual Statistics, particularly the Dinner reports. Click on the puzzle number to find out more about it.

Year Solver Silver
Salver		 Ascot Gold Cup Setter No.
1987–88 R T Baxter No Clues Mime 2924
1988–89 P Bailey A Three Pipe Problem Law 3009
1989–90 J R Beresford Cretan Bull Phi 3024
1991 A F Bishop Merry Mazes Sabre 3096
1992 H Blanco White Players Law 3150
1993 Dr D J Flower Whodunnit 3: Locked Room Mystery Mime 3202
1994 J W Leonard New Year’s Resolution Dimitry 3234
1995 G B Hinde Hangover Plausus 3300
1996 G Mullineux Up and Down Doubleshooter 3350
1997 D W Arthur All Square Dimitry 3398
1998 D McNeill A Marvellous Game Columba 3486
1999 C J & M P Butler Scans Peeper 3505
2000 S R Rice Playfair Dolos 3559
2001 J P S & E A Ruff Trick or Treat Dimitry 3641
2002 S Tarrant Author Sabre 3679
2003 R P C Forman No Turning Back Ark 3734
2004 S Anthony Koeql Haeospo Elgin 3795
2005 M Goodliffe Safe-cracking Kea 3843
2006 D & N Aspland Olde Treasure Hunt Merlin 3883
2007 S Long King Rebel 3947
2008 J R Daddow Conflict Resolution Kea 4011
2009 N Talbott Admission Kea 4045
2010 J Reardon Sine Qua Non Shackleton 4079

In 2010, all-correct solver P Sant delivered his votes for the Ascot Gold Cup as a “re-imagining” of the White Knight’s song (actually line for line) from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, a quotation from which formed the basis of Listener Crossword 4104, Merchandise by Adam. The poem is available as a PDF document here.
 
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