On March 28th, 2009, at 3:00 P.M. EDT, the XYZZY Awards Ceremony was held at ifMUD. Below is the transcript of the event, including side-comments that those in attendance made on the #peanut-gallery channel. Should you not wish to see those comments, an expurgated version is also available.

 

inky says, "now then -- the next award is always a little tricky, but here to sort things out is Christopher Huang, for Best Individual Puzzle"
[peanut-gallery] zarf asks, "again?"
Gunther says, "yay Xhuang"
Hugh_Dunnett coughs
[peanut-gallery] zarf says, "one volcanic eruption is a mistake; two starts to look like carelessness"
DavidW claps
[peanut-gallery] Jacqueline says, "It was the most orderly loading of an aircraft I've ever seen; everyone was on board and in their seats before the luggage was even loaded to make sure we'd beat the ash cloud headed toward anchorage."
[peanut-gallery] Ellison says, "haha"
Hugh_Dunnett says, "Actually, Mr Huang couldn't make it. He sent me to cover for him."
[peanut-gallery] Jacqueline says (to zarf), "Heh. Well, last time it was active it erupted repeatedly over a period of four or five months, so."
Hugh_Dunnett ambles up to the stage.
[peanut-gallery] Jacqueline says, "Anyway, back to the regularly scheduled program."
[peanut-gallery] inky says, "disappeared under mysterious circumstances, I fancy"
[peanut-gallery] inky says, "three times is seismological action"
[peanut-gallery] Ellison says, "hehe"
Hugh_Dunnett asks, "So I understand we have a mystery as to who's got the single best puzzle here, aye?"
Hugh_Dunnett says, "Anyway, the suspects are as follows:"
Hugh_Dunnett flips open notebook.
Guest3 walks out from under the archway south of here, although you didn't notice it approaching it from the other side.
[peanut-gallery] Jacqueline asks, "Heh. Yeah, where IS andyf when we want to make seismological jokes?"
Hugh_Dunnett says, "First we have the, uh, Calling For Help, in 'Escapade!'"
Hugh_Dunnett says, "(just use the telephone, I say)"
olethros claps with extra fury.
Jacqueline applauds.
inky claps
Taleslinger claps
Hugh_Dunnett says, "Next, we have the autops-- er, the Putting The Vampire Together bit in 'Afflicted'."
DavidW says, "heh"
Hugh_Dunnett says, "(seriously?)"
Taleslinger calps
TJSay claps politely
DavidW says, "hee hee"
olethros.. puts .. his hands .. together
Taleslinger looks at fingers
Jacqueline applauds.
Firion walks out from under the archway south of here, although you didn't notice him approaching it from the other side.
dougegan says, ""that's a good one!""
DavidW says (to Taleslinger), ">count fingers"
inky says, "it's like a negative murder mystery"
Hugh_Dunnett says, "Now, the disposal of evidence: Disconnecting the Internet and Getting Rid of the Key, from 'Violet'."
Hugh_Dunnett shakes head disapprovingly.
olethros deduces that it's time to clap again.
Taleslinger clpsa
violet claps
Hugh_Dunnett says, "And finally, of course, The Gallows in 'Gun Mute'."
[peanut-gallery] olethros says, "hmm I think I again missed the best-puzzle game"
Hugh_Dunnett nods approvingly. Not that he's biased or anything.
olethros claps
[peanut-gallery] olethros asks, "what, no Piracy?"
Lucea applauds everyone
[peanut-gallery] DavidW says, "The key came back, the very next day, the key came back, you thought it was a goner, ..."
[peanut-gallery] Lucea says, "not this category"
Jacqueline claps.
[peanut-gallery] olethros says, "maybe int he best overall puzzles"
Hugh_Dunnett says, "So. Based on the evidence or lack thereof....."
Jacqueline says, "heh"
Hugh_Dunnett pulls out the envelope from under the cellar stairs in the middle of the house.
[peanut-gallery] olethros asks, "has piracy had a second release btw? ... piracy 2.1 ?"
[peanut-gallery] inky says, "hee hee"
Hugh_Dunnett says, "The Guilty Party is .... Violet, Disconnecting the Internet!"
Jota applauds.
maga says, "yay"
inky updates the BEST INDIVIDUAL PUZZLE entry on the chalkboard.
Lucea has disconnected.
DavidW cheers
Taleslinger says, "Cool!"
radix cheers
djfletch cheers
nm clap clap
Taleslinger aclps
Ellison cheers
violet says, "Jeremy said if he got a second award I should thank Emily for her work on i7 and its extensions"
Cornelius applauds.
Lucea somehow manages to fetch the ethernet cord and applaud
dougegan says, ""hooray""
Guest2 claps.
Hugh_Dunnett cuffs Professor Violet and marches him out to the paddywagon.
McMartin applauds for Internet
radix gives Taleslinger some hand lotion.
inky says, "I think there's an important lesson for all PhD students here, although I'm not sure quite what it is"
Taleslinger says, "Write naked"
JimMunroe cheers <INTERNET CONNECTION DROPPED>
nm says, "you can write IF later, when you're a professor"
inky says (to Taleslinger), "there we are"
Ellison laughs
DavidW says (to Taleslinger), "I think I want to cross-stitch that."
Lucea says (to davidw), "you'll only tear it up in a fit of writer's block"