Leaderboard hack Kate Brewster is taken ill (probably choking on her own bile after her last article), and Lauren Sinclair gives a more appreciative assessment of the Cube Hunters' collective efforts.
By LAUREN SINCLAIR
It's out with the old and with the new this week on Earth's "puzzle leaderboard," as the combined efforts of 48,000 participants pushed the accumulative point total above the 25 million mark.
Recently mac_monkey seized the top spot with 15,700 points, unexpectedly superceding previous leaders Tally and oliverkeers13 just over two weeks ago. Michiko Clark, editor-in-chief of the Sentinel, commented that "Although other [players] have enjoyed an impressive term of service, it was time for them to move on from their position, and we wish them all the best."
Competitors now await the results of the controversial Extreme Puzzling competition, which saw Earth's puzzle pranksters indulge in reckless homages to the dangerous antics of Raoul Benton, covered previously in the Sentinel. Some critics called it a "tasteless affront to the principles of Perplex City," but others have refused to condemn the contest. As Clark recently said in an unrelated internal memo, "Although we must acknowledge the dignity and wisdom of our own culture, it is in no-one's best interests to make light of our friends on Earth, even in times such as these -- the bridges between our worlds may be somewhat rickety, but we ought not burn them yet."
The sharp new players of the week are skecky, with 58 solves and 1229 points in his/her first six days of solving action, followed by deeyellow, with 46 solves and 870 points. Meanwhile Methospedia (14,745 points from 253 solves in 30 days) puts the "ember" in November with her smouldering solving skills, and shoots to 11th place -- although Theo Clarke, aka Gauntlet (14,745p / 249s) has put in a wholly impressive showing, too.
Kate Brewster is away.
