Answer to Puzzle Contest (Per Contest Winner):

PUZZ.COM is 8. The number given is the total of the number of times the pen or pencil must be lifted in order to print each of the words, without retracing. For example, "EASY is 7" means that the letter E requires 2 strokes; the letter A requires 2 strokes; the letter S can be written in 1 stroke; and the letter Y requires 2 strokes. "HARD is 8" is equal to 3+2+2+1. "WAY is 5" is equal to 1+2+2. Each of the letters in "PUZZ.COM" (including the period) can be written in one stroke of the pen, so the total is 8.

Winner: Shirley Wolf, Rockville, MD