Update, 27th May : Urmas Raude sent a better solution to Puzzle 8 (Unique Olympic Connections)!
Update, 18th May : Urmas Raude found a better solution (with score 101) to Puzzle 6 (Loop around Pentominoes).
The Puzzlerium Optimization Championship has found a new champion in Gerhard Richter of Germany. The ever so enthusiastic Gerhard claims the title with a meager lead of 6.4 points at a contest wherein 800 points would amount to a perfect score, not accounting for the scary prediction game I had woven into. Not surprisingly, none of the players fell for the lure except for when the result was obviously optimum.
While the players disappointed with rather unfruitful attempts at "Weird sequences" and "Pento-chess-battle", a few of the solutions were delightfully crafted. The champion's Wordspan grid, in particular, was an artful wonder. Vladimir's (probably optimal) 100-pointer loop also exuded brilliance. Wordspan emerges as the clear favourite with three votes.
Designing these is an effort best appreciated through participation. Time permitting, the POC will return in Sept-Oct with more cool puzzles.
Detailed results can be found in this spreadsheet. Solutions (Top 2 and author's) follow (grouped by puzzle).
Dmitry (17)
Author (24)
Vladimir (87) Gerhard (84)
Vladimir (100) Gerhard (95)
Dmitry (128) Gerhard (135)
Zafer (198) Author (196)