Winner of CRISPR backronym contest

We just ran a CRISPR backronym contest here at the Niche blog.

What were we looking for in terms of CRISPR backronyms?

We were hoping to see backronyms that were in a sense clever explanations using the letters C, R, I, S, P, R for what CRISPR might “really” stand for if it weren’t Clustered, Regularly, Interspace…you know, the official meaning.

We received 58 entries, which were evaluated by the judges: Ben Zimmer, Antonio Regalado, and I. We each scored them separately and then added up the total score. It was a fun process that elicited many chuckles.

We even got one entry by email to Antonio from the ever sardonic George Church, who wrote it on the day that Clapper called gene editing a WMD. George wrote, “Clustered Raptor Intercontinental Shocking Pan-drone Raygun.” I love it.

The winning backronym was Catchy Rubric Is Sure Progress Requirement.

It was submitted by Michael Le Page who wins global fame and “fortune” in the form of a $50 prize from me.

Congratulations. He submitted it on Twitter using the #CRISPRback hash tag.

Catchy Rubric Is Sure Progress Requirement #CRISPRback @pknoepfler

— Michael Le Page (@mjflepage) February 10, 2016

There were so many good submission that we awarded two honorable mentions as well:

• Characteristically Reticent Investigators Suddenly Preach Revolution! came from Eric J. Perkins.
• Custom Recombinant Incisions Surrounding Patterned Repetitions was submitted by Manny Katz.

I hope everyone had a good time with this contest and thanks to all who entered as well as Ben and Antonio for being judges.