XYZZY Awards (Best Individual Puzzle)

XYZZY Awards
Browse by Year	1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Categories	Best Game • Best Writing • Best Story • Best Setting • Best Puzzles • Best NPCs • Best Individual Puzzle • Best Individual NPC • Best Individual PC • Best Use of Medium (1997–2009) • Best Implementation (2010–) • Best Use of Innovation (2010–) • Best Technological Development (2010–) \| Best Supplemental Materials (2010–2013) • Best Use of Multimedia (2014–) • Other awards
See also	Statistics

Best Individual Puzzle Winners

1996 Best Individual Puzzle: Opening the gate, in So Far (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
1997 Best Individual Puzzle: The language puzzle, in The Edifice (Lucian P. Smith; Z-code).
1998 Best Individual Puzzle: Getting out of the chair, from Spider and Web (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
1999 Best Individual Puzzle: The maze, in Hunter, in Darkness (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
2000 Best Individual Puzzle: The whole game of Rematch (Andrew Pontious).
2001 Best Individual Puzzle: Deciphering the language, in The Gostak (Carl Muckenhoupt; Z-code).
2002 Best Individual Puzzle: Setting the traps, in Lock & Key (Adam Cadre; Glulx).
2003 Best Individual Puzzle: The purple room in The Recruit (Mike Sousa; TADS 2).
2004 Best Individual Puzzle: The time travel puzzle in All Things Devours (half sick of shadows; Z-code).
2005 Best Individual Puzzle: Following the murderer, in Beyond (Roberto Grassi, Paolo Lucchesi, and Alessandro Peretti; publisher: Mondi Confinanti; Glulx).
2006 Best Individual Puzzle: Navigating the mansion, in Delightful Wallpaper (Andrew Plotkin as "Edgar O. Weyrd"; Z-code).
2007 Best Individual Puzzle: Identifying the killer in An Act of Murder (Christopher Huang as "Hugh Dunnett"; Z-code).
2008 Best Individual Puzzle: Disconnecting the Internet/Getting rid of the key in Violet (Jeremy Freese; Z-code).
2009 Best Individual Puzzle: Finding out how the goggles work in Byzantine Perspective (Lea Albaugh; Z-code).
2010 Best Individual Puzzle: Crossing the river in Aotearoa (Matt Wigdahl; Glulx).
2011 Best Individual Puzzle: The hat mystery, spread out between The Life (and Deaths) of Doctor M (Michael D. Hilborn), Last Day of Summer (Doug Orleans), Playing Games (Kevin Jackson-Mead), and Cold Iron (Andrew Plotkin).
2012 Best Individual Puzzle: Surviving the fall in Bigger Than You Think (Andrew Plotkin, Glulx).
2013 Best Individual Puzzle: Creating the meat monster in Coloratura (Lynnea Glasser; Glulx).
2014 Best Individual Puzzle: Sequence of time-travel in Fifteen Minutes (Ade McT; Z-code)
2015 Best Individual Puzzle: Understanding how the RPS cannon works in Brain Guzzlers from Beyond! (Steph Cherrywell; 01-Oct-2015; Glulx).
2016 Best Individual Puzzle: Customizing the robot in The Mary Jane of Tomorrow (Emily Short; 05-Jun-2016; Glulx).
2017 Best Individual Puzzle: Getting past the dragon in The Wizard Sniffer (Buster Hudson; 01-Oct-2017; Glulx).
2018 Best Individual Puzzle: Solving your murder in Erstwhile (Maddie Fialla and Marijke Perry; 01-Oct-2018; Twine).
2019 Best Individual Puzzle: Inspiring the artist in Zozzled (Steph Cherrywell); 01-Oct-2018; Glulx).
2020 Best Individual Puzzle: Leaving the house in The Impossible Bottle (Linus Åkesson); 01-Oct-2018; Dialog).

Best Individual Puzzle Winners and Finalists

1996 Best Individual Puzzle: Opening the gate, in So Far (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
- Finalist: The crystals, in Fear (Chuan-Tze Teo; Z-code).
- Finalist: The elephant, in The Meteor, the Stone and a Long Glass of Sherbet (Graham Nelson; Z-code).
- Finalist: (cramped, crawling), in So Far (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
- Finalist: Riding the creature, in So Far (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
1997 Best Individual Puzzle: The language puzzle, in The Edifice (Lucian P. Smith; Z-code).
- Finalist: Setting the digital clock, in Heist (Andy Phillips; Z-code).
- Finalist: The whole game of Pick Up The Phone Booth And Die (Rob Noyes; Z-code).
- Finalist: Defeating the Kunkel, in Sins Against Mimesis (Adam Thornton; Z-code).
- Finalist: Building the sand castle, in Sunset Over Savannah (Ivan Cockrum; TADS 2).
1998 Best Individual Puzzle: Getting out of the chair, from Spider and Web (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
- Finalist: The snack machine, in Little Blue Men (Michael Gentry; Z-code).
- Finalist: The granite cube, in Losing Your Grip (Stephen Granade; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Getting out of the maze, in Photopia (Adam Cadre; Z-code).
- Finalist: Entering the warehouse, in The Plant (Michael J. Roberts; TADS 2).
1999 Best Individual Puzzle: The maze, in Hunter, in Darkness (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
- Finalist: The water puzzle, in Break-In (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
- Finalist: Stopping the flood, in For a Change (Dan Schmidt; Z-code).
- Finalist: The clone puzzle, in The Frenetic Five vs. Mr. Redundancy Man (Neil deMause; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Getting the light upstairs, in The Mulldoon Legacy (Jon Ingold).
  - Note: The gypsum flowers, in The Jewel of Knowledge (Francesco Bova; Z-code), was never actually nominated. This was a joke made during the ceremony.
2000 Best Individual Puzzle: The whole game of Rematch (Andrew Pontious).
- Finalist: The whole game of 9:05 (Adam Cadre; Z-code).
- Finalist: The mannequin, in Above and Beyond! (Mike Sousa; TADS 2).
- Finalist: The letter rooms, in Ad Verbum (Nick Montfort; Z-code).
- Finalist: The recursive room, in Being Andrew Plotkin (J. Robinson Wheeler; Z-code).
2001 Best Individual Puzzle: Deciphering the language, in The Gostak (Carl Muckenhoupt; Z-code).
- Finalist: The birds, in All Roads (Jon Ingold; Z-code).
- Finalist: Switching the glasses, in Pytho's Mask (Emily Short; Z-code).
- Finalist: The chess game, in Silicon Castles (David Given; Z-code).
- Finalist: [unspecified], in Textfire Golf (Adam Cadre; Z-code).
- Finalist: Disarming the bomb, in Vicious Cycles (Simon Mark; Z-code).
2002 Best Individual Puzzle: Setting the traps in Lock & Key (Adam Cadre; Glulx).
- Finalist: The maze in Constraints (Martin Bays; Z-code).
- Finalist: Entering the church in Forever Always (Iain Merrick; TADS 3).
- Finalist: Decoding the letter in Savoir-Faire (Emily Short; Z-code).
- Finalist: The computer password in Till Death Makes a Monk-Fish Out of Me! (Jon Ingold and Mike Sousa; TADS 2).
2003 Best Individual Puzzle: The purple room in The Recruit (Mike Sousa; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Escaping the quicksand in Max Blaster and Doris de Lightning Against the Parrot Creatures of Venus (Dan Shiovitz and Emily Short; TADS 3).
- Finalist: Making the sandwich in Max Blaster and Doris de Lightning Against the Parrot Creatures of Venus (Dan Shiovitz and Emily Short; TADS 3).
- Finalist: Creating the black powder in Risorgimento Represso (Michael Coyne; Z-code).
- Finalist: Getting into the farm in Risorgimento Represso (Michael Coyne; Z-code).
2004 Best Individual Puzzle: The time travel puzzle in All Things Devours (half sick of shadows; Z-code).
- Finalist: The toilet in Blue Chairs (Chris Klimas; Z-code).
- Finalist: The cistern in The Dreamhold (Andrew Plotkin; Z-code).
- Finalist: Cracking Eno's computer in Future Boy! (Kent Tessman; Hugo).
- Finalist: The poltergeist in Necrotic Drift (Robb Sherwin; Hugo).
2005 Best Individual Puzzle: Following the murderer, in Beyond (Roberto Grassi, Paolo Lucchesi, and Alessandro Peretti; publisher: Mondi Confinanti; Glulx).
- Finalist: Moving the stone (after the labyrinth), in All Hope Abandon (Eric Eve; TADS 3).
- Finalist: Finding something to eat, in Chancellor (Kevin Venzke; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Beating the creature, in Distress (Mike Snyder; Hugo).
- Finalist: Identifying the killer, in Mystery House Possessed (Emily Short; Z-code).
2006 Best Individual Puzzle: Navigating the mansion in Delightful Wallpaper (Andrew Plotkin as "Edgar O. Weyrd"; Z-code).
- Finalist: Choosing the present in Floatpoint (Emily Short; Glulx).
- Finalist: The piano puzzle in Madam Spider's Web (Sara Dee; Z-code).
- Finalist: The reactor puzzle in Möbius (J. D. Clemens; Z-code).
- Finalist: Final puzzle in Strange Geometries (Phillip Chambers; Z-code).
2007 Best Individual Puzzle: Identifying the killer in An Act of Murder (Christopher Huang as "Hugh Dunnett"; Z-code).
- Finalist: Getting the toy from the cabinet in Child's Play (Stephen Granade; Z-code).
- Finalist: The thermostat puzzle in Orevore Courier (Brian Rapp; Z-code).
- Finalist: Beating the shark in Slap That Fish (Peter Nepstad; TADS 2).
- Finalist: Opening the vault door in Suveh Nux (David Fisher; Z-code).
2008 Best Individual Puzzle: Disconnecting the Internet/Getting rid of the key in Violet (Jeremy Freese; Z-code).
- Finalist: Putting the vampire together in Afflicted (Doug Egan; Z-code).
- Finalist: Calling for help in Escapade! (Juhana Leinonen; Z-code).
- Finalist: The gallows in Gun Mute (C.E.J. Pacian; TADS 3).
2009 Best Individual Puzzle: Finding out how the goggles work in Byzantine Perspective (Lea Albaugh; Z-code).
- Finalist: Defeating the Eagle Beast in The Ascot (Duncan Bowsman; ADRIFT 4).
- Finalist: Working out the controls in Rover's Day Out (Jack Welch and Ben Collins-Sussman; Glulx).
2010 Best Individual Puzzle: Crossing the river in Aotearoa (Matt Wigdahl; Glulx).
- Finalist: Deciding what to do with the baby in The Warbler's Nest (Jason McIntosh; Z-code).
- Finalist: Dividing up the oxygen reserves in Oxygen (Benjamin Sokal; Glulx).
- Finalist: Getting the lighter from Kai in Allein mit Kai (Ingo Scharmann and Joana Markus; Glulx; German).
- Finalist: Roof tile repair in The 12:54 to Asgard (J. Robinson Wheeler; Z-code).
- Finalist: Saving Dr. Ephart in One Eye Open (Colin Sandel and Carolyn VanEseltine; Glulx).
2011 Best Individual Puzzle: The hat mystery, spread out between The Life (and Deaths) of Doctor M (Michael D. Hilborn), Last Day of Summer (Doug Orleans), Playing Games (Kevin Jackson-Mead), and Cold Iron (Andrew Plotkin).
- Finalist: Assembling the name of the final location in The Race (Andy Why).
- Finalist: Escaping the tower in Indigo (Emily Short).
- Finalist: Putting out the fire in How Suzy Got Her Powers (David Whyld).
2012 Best Individual Puzzle: Surviving the fall in Bigger Than You Think (Andrew Plotkin, Glulx).
- Finalist: The hold-all in A Killer Headache (Mike Ciul, Glulx).
- Finalist: Making a taco in Shuffling Around (Andrew Schultz, Glulx).
2013 Best Individual Puzzle: Creating the meat monster in Coloratura (Lynnea Glasser; Glulx).
- Finalist: Maximizing your profit in Captain Verdeterre's Plunder (Ryan Veeder; Glulx).
- Finalist: Getting out of the lab in Chemistry and Physics (Colin Sandel and Carolyn VanEseltine; Web browser).
- Finalist: Three-latch door in Faithful Companion (Matt Weiner; Z-code).
- Finalist: Discovering the type of route that works in Threediopolis (Andrew Schultz; Z-code).
- Finalist: Earning one million dollars in ULTRA BUSINESS TYCOON III (Porpentine; Web browser).
2014 Best Individual Puzzle: Sequence of time-travel in Fifteen Minutes (Ade McT; Z-code)
- Finding the treasure in More (Jason Dyer; Z-code)
2015 Best Individual Puzzle: Understanding how the RPS cannon works in Brain Guzzlers from Beyond! (Steph Cherrywell; 01-Oct-2015; Glulx).
- Catching the fairy in Oppositely Opal (Buster Hudson)
- The Hard Puzzle in Hard Puzzle (Ade McT)
- Identifying the murderer in Toby's Nose (Chandler Groover)
- The skull in Sub Rosa (Joey Jones, Melvin Rangasamy)

2016 Best Individual Puzzle: Customizing the robot in The Mary Jane of Tomorrow (Emily Short); Glulx).
- Killing the vampire in 16 Ways to Kill a Vampire at McDonalds (Abigail Corfman)
- Sneaking quietly though the house in Detectiveland (Robin Johnson)
- Delivering the metallophilic ice to the Robotics Lab in Inside the Facility (Arthur DiBianca)
- Performing the Three Card Trick in Three-Card Trick (Chandler Groover)
- Raise a world to the Galactic Accord (worldbuilding) in Worldsmith (Interactive Fables)

2017 Best Individual Puzzle: getting past the dragon in The Wizard Sniffer (Buster Hudson); Glulx).
- discovering the rest of the game in [The Wand]] (Arthur DiBianca)
- getting through the undersea vent in Measureless to Man (Ivan R.)
- Learning the Cycle in The Wand (Arthur DiBianca)
- Milking the cow in Eat Me (Chandler Groover)
- Navigating the swamp in Crocodracula: What Happened to Calvin (Ryan Veeder)

2018 Best Individual Puzzle: solving your murder in Erstwhile ([[Maddie Fialla, Marijke Perry); Twine).
- defeating Ynf-Okh-Omm in The Lurking Horror II: The Lurkening (Ryan Veeder)
- The last Flower Child puzzle in The Temple of Shorgil (Arthur DiBianca)
- Rooftop puzzle in I.A.G. Alpha (Serhii Mozhaiskyi)
- Werewolf/moon puzzle in The Origin of Madame Time (Mathbrush)

2019 Best Individual Puzzle: Inspiring the artist in Zozzled (Steph Cherrywell); Glulx).
- Finding the good ending in Dull Grey (Provodnik Games)
- Helping Madame Ping Ping with the séance in Zozzled (Steph Cherrywell)