XYZZY Award for Best Individual Puzzle

This is a list of XYZZY Awards results, grouped by award rather than year. The XYZZY Awards are the annual awards given by the publication "XYZZYnews" to works of interactive fiction, serving a similar role to the Academy Awards for film. The awards were inaugurated in 1997, initially with eight categories: best game, best writing, best story, best setting, best puzzles, best individual puzzle, best NPCs (non-player characters) and best individual NPC. Two others, best individual player-character and best use of medium, were added the following year. For the 2010 awards, the best use of medium award was divided into separate awards for best implementation and best use of innovation, while new awards were instituted for non-game creations: best technological development and best supplemental materials. Presented in early spring, any game released during the year prior to the award ceremony is eligible for nomination to receive an award. The decision process takes place in two stages: members of the interactive fiction community nominate works within specific categories and sufficiently supported nominations become finalists within those categories. Typically there are four or five finalists in each category. Community members then vote among the finalists, and the game receiving a plurality of votes is given the award in an online ceremony on ifMUD.

Each entry below lists the winners of each award in each year, followed by other finalists for that year.

Given since 1996, the award for Best Game recognizes the game which is the most enjoyable as a whole; other awards recognize merit in particular qualities.

Like the Best Game award, the Best Writing award has been given since 1996. It recognizes a game which rises above the others in the quality of its descriptive text.

This award has been given since 1996. It recognizes the game with the deepest or most original story.

The award for Best Setting, also given since 1996, recognizes games with the most original or best-described locations.

The award for Best Puzzles recognizes the game with the most well-crafted, clever, and appropriate puzzles. It has also been given since 1996.

Another of the original awards, the award for Best NPCs recognizes particularly appropriate, amusing, and well-written casts of non-player characters.

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