A member of the National Puzzlers' League since 1986, he served as vice president from 1991 to 1992 and hosted the group's annual convention in Atlanta in 1998.
He also appeared briefly on a number of other television shows, including an episode of Nightline about the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.
Mathematically, Plotkin would have finished first had both contestants competed at the live tournament in New York City.
Payne was the "Word Expert" on the CBS game show Million Dollar Password.
Magazines that have run specially commissioned puzzles from Payne include Golf Magazine, Manhattan File, American Times, Out, and many more; corporate clients have included IBM, NPR, Amtrak, MetLife, Dodge, Fox TV, Hanna-Barbera, Fruit of the Loom, and Kleenex.