Shortz, in particular, directed the first American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, facilitated the creation of the digital NYTimes Crossword, and coordinated Wordplay, a 2006 crossword documentary. Each editor has added their own quirks and humor in the themes of the puzzle, in effect ensuring a wave of continuous creativity and innovation. Since then, only three other editors have oversaw the Crossword: Will Weng (1969–77), Eugene Maleska (1977–93), and Will Shortz (1993–present) - all of whom together have sparked a revolution. With Margaret Farrar as its first editor, the Crossword drew in passion everywhere, from serving as a war distraction to becoming an essential cornerstone of American culture. Less than a year after the devastating 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor, editor Lester Markel, along with the support of crossword pioneer Margaret Farrar, proposed the first New York Times Crossword as a form of World War II relief to American readers.Īlbeit the last major newspaper in the world to implement a daily crossword puzzle, the Times caught up rapidly. Some columnists denounced the puzzle as a “primitive sort of mental exercise” and even a “sinful waste” of time, while others simply projected its decline and eventual disappearance. ![]() From constructing his first puzzle to editing thousands of guest submissions, the long-standing editor emphasizes one virtue for the Crossword: timelessness.Īfter the world’s first crossword in 1913 surged in popularity among readers, the New York Times initially refused to follow suit. Since its inception on February 15th, 1942, the New York Times Crossword has been a sign of continuity throughout the last century, overseeing rapid societal changes and subtly weaving them into its black and white tiles. Today, the letter sits in a frame outside his home office. Shortz is the editor of the renowned New York Times Crossword, a position he has proudly held since 1993. “Even when I can’t finish them, they’re the only part of The Times that guarantees good feeling!” ![]() President Bill Clinton wrote in a 2002 letter to Will Shortz. “Keep the crosswords coming,” Former U.S. Nonetheless, its core values stay close to the first ever puzzle, published in 1942. From paper to digital, The New York Times Crossword has evolved throughout the years.
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