An IT professional who thought he was "good at Excel" can now prove it after reaching the finals of a global competition.
Harry Watson, 25, is a senior systems analyst in Sudbury, Suffolk. In December, he traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the World Excel Championships.
He learned about competitive spreadsheet events from a friend a couple of years ago and discovered he was quite skilled, he told the BBC.
Mr. Watson said he first realized his talent at school in Colchester, Essex, where he was "by far" the best at using spreadsheets. To reach the Microsoft Excel World Championship, participants must qualify by competing in online battles throughout the year.
These battles involve "unusual game tasks" that are solved on a spreadsheet to test logical thinking skills.
After the playoff rounds, the in-person finals are held in Las Vegas.
Mr. Watson said it was his first visit to Nevada, which he described as "quite unlike anywhere else."
"I think everyone's excited about it because it's such a unique thing," he said.
"A three-day spreadsheet conference—what more could you want?
"It's very crazy, but at the same time, people take it very seriously."
He mentioned that competitive Excel started around 2013, but this event has been happening since 2021.
Mr. Watson said he was ranked 5th in the UK and 52nd in the world at the last tournament and hopes to rank higher next time.
"I need to reach that final stage and defeat everyone—it's easier said than done. The competition's standard—and the skill of the participants—improves significantly each year," he added.
"There are so many new features being released in Microsoft Excel that the way you compete is constantly changing."
Mr. Watson said he put in a lot of effort to stay up to standard and noted it "becomes a bit of an arms race."