As four dozen contestants put their pens to the massive checkered grids before them, the clock began to tick down. The room was nearly silent — not a word spoken. The only thing heard across the large cafeteria was the scribbling of lead onto clean paper, with players writing and erasing combinations and patterns of letters until the winners found their matches.

At 2:09 p.m. Nov. 9, Cornell University issued a shelter-in-place order for its North Campus because of local police pursuing a man with a gun in Cayuga Heights.

Alternative rock band X Ambassadors, which originated in Ithaca and is now touring worldwide, will visit Ithaca's State Theatre on May 14 for a homecoming concert.