December 21 commemorates the birth of a challenging word game enjoyed by millions around the world. It’s Crossword Puzzle Day!
- 1913 – Journalist Arthur Wynne from Liverpool is credited as the inventor of the word game we know today. He created what is considered the first known published crossword puzzle. The puzzle appeared in the December 21, 1913, edition of the New York World newspaper.
- 1924 – In 1924, The New York Times predicted that crossword puzzles were a fad that the general public would soon get over.
- 1930 – February 1 – The first Times crossword puzzle was published.
- 1938 – A plan to design a board game based on the principles of the crossword puzzle was devised by New York architect Alfred Mosher Butts in the 1930s when he found himself unemployed. That game turned out to be another beloved pastime we all know and love, Scrabble, released in 1938.
- 1966 – The fastest completion time of a New York Times crossword puzzle was set in 1996 by Stanley Newman – a puzzle creator, editor, and publisher – who completed the puzzle in 2 minutes 14 seconds.
- 1969 – January 6 – Will Weng became the second editor of The New York Times crossword puzzle.
- 2006 – Wordplay – a documentary film featuring popular crossword constructors and solvers like Will Shortz, debuts.
- The clues to more challenging puzzles are more like riddles, making the game more complex.
- Many tout the benefits of crossword puzzles. Not only are they fun, but challenging crossword puzzles may help delay the effects of dementia or sharpen the brain for problem-solving.
- They can also increase vocabulary and even relieve the mind from the stress of the day by focusing on something other than worldly problems.
- The first crossword puzzle was diamond-shaped and was initially called “word-cross.” It was a huge success with the newspaper’s readers.
- The name was soon changed to “crossword” after a typesetting error. Soon other newspapers were running the puzzles.
- Initially, the only major American daily to refuse to use the puzzle was the New York Times. The crossword finally found its way into the paper’s Sunday edition eighteen years after the puzzle’s introduction. It has since become a staple of the newspaper and just the word “crossword” seems to be synonymous with the New York Times.
- Almost one hundred years later, Wynne’s invention proves to be more than a fad. Books of crossword puzzles can be found in stores. Puzzle applications can be downloaded onto cell phones. Perhaps more important to Wynne though would be the fact that the puzzle still dominates the “Fun” section of most major newspapers.
- Studies have shown that doing crossword puzzles prevents dementia, improves verbal skills, helps practice problem-solving skills, helps the brain identify patterns, and improves your ability to do trivia.
- Crossword Puzzle Lovers Have a Name. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a person who enjoys doing crossword puzzles is called a ‘Cruciverbalist’. With the Latin roots for Cross, and Word inside, this term is perfect.
- Roger Squires is One of the Most Prolific Producers of Crossword Puzzles. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Squires holds the record with nearly 75,000 puzzles made, and over 2 million clues written.
- The Longest Crossword Answer. In one of Roger Squires’ puzzles was included an answer of 58 letters. The answer was the famously multisyllabic Welsh town of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
- Largest Crossword Puzzle. The Guinness Book of World Records has recorded a crossword puzzle which is 7’x7′, comprised of 91,000 squares and 28,000 clues.
- The most significant published crossword puzzle contains 132,020 squares with 12,842 clues across and 13,128 clues down. Compiled by Ara Hovhannisian from 2007-2008, the puzzle appeared in a special edition of Russiky Crossword.
- A Dedicated Life. While many remarkable people have committed their lives to crossword puzzles, one of the most noteworthy is the editor of The New York Times crossword puzzle, Will Shortz. He knew from a young age that these puzzles would be his life’s endeavor; he graduated from the University of Indiana with a degree in Enigmatology, or, the study of puzzles. To date, he is the only person known to have achieved this degree.
- An Electoral Marvel. On the day before the 1996 United States Presidential Election, a crossword puzzle was printed in The New York Times which seemed to make an ambitious prediction. The clue of 39-Across read: ‘Lead Story in Tomorrow’s Newspaper (With 43-Across).’
The editor of the Times crossword puzzle, Will Shortz, recounted several angry letters after this puzzle, claiming the puzzle had gone political, throwing their support behind a candidate. However, it turned out that no matter which way the election went, the puzzle would work. Either with CLINTON ELECTED (which is what happened) or BOBDOLE ELECTED, the other clues could be answered to make the prediction fit.
Sources:
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
