The Crossword Century Read online

  Augarde, Tony, 176

  Bacon, Francis, 21

  Balfour, Sandy, 175–176

  Bass, Jennie, 116–117

  Bately, Alfred, 33–34

  Beastie Boys (music group), 59

  The Beatles (music group), 3

  Bede, Cuthbert, 24

  Beeman, Mark, 107

  Bell, Adrian, 18–19, 38

  Bell, Martin, 18

  Bello, David, 55

  Berg Cloud, 166–167

  Bernstein, Leonard, 76

  Berry, Patrick, 68

  The Bible, 25

  Biddlecombe, Peter, 107

  Big Daves’s Crossword Blog, 175

  The Big Sleep (Chandler), 135

  Black Speech (made-up language), 34

  Bombaugh, C. C., 177

  Book returns, publisher practice of, 10

  Borges, Jorge Luis, 55

  The Boston Globe, 116–117

  Bowra, Maurice, 70

  Brief Encounter (movie), 109–112, 155

  British Diplomatic Oral History Programme (BDOHP), 178

  Brontë, Charlotte, 21

  Brooksbank, Peter, 105

  Brooks, James L., 139–140

  Brooks, Rebekah, 31

  Buchan, John (Lord Tweedsmuir), 129–130

  Burton, Dan, 148

  Carroll, Lewis, 36–37, 39

  Carruthers, F. D., 11

  Carter, Jimmy, 65

  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 131–132

  Chamberlain, Austen, 156

  Chambers Crossword Manual (Manley), 44, 175

  The Chambers Dictionary, 58, 78

  Championships. See Tournaments and Championships

  Chandler, Raymond, 135

  Character, crosswording and, 172–173

  Charade clues, 85

  Cheating, rules about, 91–96

  Christie, Agatha, 21, 135–136

  Clerihew (poem format), 12

  Clinton, William J. (“Bill”), 63–65, 67, 103–104, 148

  Cloud computing, crosswording and, 166–167

  Clue(s). See also Crossword construction

  acrostic, 7, 21–25, 32, 86, 134, 144

  anagram, 4, 25–28, 60, 79, 82–83, 86–88, 114, 125, 157

  as basic unit of crossword, 31

  charade, 85

  computer-generated puzzles, 121–124

  cryptic definition, 81–82

  deductive reasoning and, 172–173

  double definition, 80

  hidden answer, 83–84

  multiple meanings, 63–65

  origin of jargon, 20–21

  “penny-drop” moment of clarity, 98–99

  playing tricks and maintaining fairness, 36–39, 146–148

  reversal, 84–85

  role in whodunit mysteries, 134–136

  role in wordplay, 25–26

  soundalikes, 85–86

  translations into other languages, 52–55

  use of palindrome, 26–28

  use of slang, 57–60

  A Clue to Our Lives (Balfour), 175–176

  The Code of the Woosters (Wodehouse), 156

  Colonel Rémy (Gilbert Renault), 72

  Computers and digital advances. See Technology, crosswording and

  Coward, Noël, 109

  Cox, Emily, 116–117

  Creadon, Patrick, 176

  Cresswell, I., 77

  Crime of the Crossword (Garland), 137

  Crisp, Ruth (“Crispa”), 123

  Crossword bots, 119–121

  Crossword construction. See also Clue(s); Grid

  about beginning, 10, 26, 115, 162–164

  adapting language differences, 49–51

  basic units of crosswording, 31

  beyond printed puzzles, 165–171

  breaking rules of decorum and taste, 147–152

  computer-generated puzzles, 121–122

  creating ability to “lose gracefully,” 122

  creating clues, 37, 39–40, 93, 122–123

  cryptic clues, 79–88

  depiction in novels, 134–138

  favorite English words, 45–48

  getting facts wrong, 145–146

  learning the art, 115

  replacement of print, 165–169

  staving off dementia, 102

  use of spoonerisms, 73

  using slang, 58–60

  using the nina, 32–35, 141

  Crossword constructors

  about anonymity and pseudonyms, 81–82

  Adrian Bell, 18–19, 38

  A. F. Ritchie (“Afrit”), 37–39, 83–84

  Brendan Emmett Quigley, 32, 58, 79, 114

  Brian Greer, 83

  Bunthorne, 86

  Chifonie, 86

  Colin Dexter, 137

  David Moseley (“Gordius”), 57

  Don Manley, 44–45, 74

  Edward Powys Mathers (“Torquemada”), 73, 81, 134

  Emily Cox, 116–117

  Eric Westbrook, 168–169

  Georges Perec, 45, 53, 134

  Henry Rathvon, 116–117

  Jerry Farrell, 62, 64–65, 177

  John Graham (“Araucaria”), 87–88, 150–152

  John Henderson (“Enigmatist”), 98

  John Lampkin, 48

  Kathryn Friedlander, 98–99, 101–102

  Leonard Berstein, 77

  Leonard Dawe, 130–131

  Lewis Carroll, 36–37, 39

  Matt Ginsberg, 119–120

  Merl Reagle, 141–144, 148–149

  Mudd, 83, 86

  Notabili, 83

  Orlando, 82, 85, 166

  Patrick Berry, 68

  Paul, 74, 81, 85, 87

  Philip Fine, 98

  Puck, 83

  Quixote, 85

  Roger Squires (“Rufus”), 80, 87, 123

  Ruth Crisp (“Crispa”), 123

  Steven Sondheim, 77

  Tom Driberg (“Tiresias”), 149

  Tracy Gray, 170–171

  Viking, 86

  Virgilius, 81

  whodunit mystery writers, 135–138

  Crossworder’s Own Newsletter (Newman), 56

  Crosswordese/crosswordiness, 43–45

  “Crossword Mama You’re Puzzling Me” (song), 14

  “Cross Word Papa (You Sure Puzzle Me)” (song), 14

  Crossword puzzles. See also Technology, crosswording and

  about origin of the name, 7

  appearance of first puzzle, ix, 162

  Arthur Wynne and beginning of, 28, 162

  best puzzle of 21st Century, 139

  creation of jargon, 20–21

  development as American fad, 13–14, 154

  development as British fad, 14–19

  favorite crosswordy words, 45–48

  judging difficulty and good taste, 147–152

  learning the art, 115

  Crossword puzzles (cont.)

  “New Wave” movement, 56–57

  patenting idea, 11–12

  publishing first book, 8–10

  rules over cheating, 91–96

  “Cross Words Between My Sweetie and Me” (song), 13–14

  Crossword solvers

  assumptions and expectations of, 164–165

  cheating, rules about, 91–96

  computers as, 118–121

  depiction as “oddballs” and “loners,” 116–117

  depiction in TV and movies, 52–53, 109–112, 114, 116, 139–144

  determining character and personality of, 172–173

  disco
vering new words, 45

  drug use by, 58

  proving constructor wrong, 145–146

  reaching “penny-drop” moment, x, 98–99, 143, 151

  replacement of print, 165–169

  research on cognitive skills, 97–102

  resources for, 175–178

  tournaments and timed play tips, 74–75, 103–108, 140

  Crossword solvers (identified solutionists)

  Al Sanders, 103–104, 106

  Aric Egmont, 116–117

  I. Cresswell, 77

  John Gielgud, 95–96

  Jon Stewart, 103–104

  Marc Romano, 104, 107, 113–114

  Mark Goodliffe, 105–106

  Meredith Gardner, 125–126

  Mike Mussina, 103–104, 115

  Nitsuh Abebe, 144

  Peter Biddlecombe, 107

  Peter Brooksbank, 105

  P. G. Wodehouse, 153–154

  Rosalind Runcie, 150

  Stanley Sedgewick, 128

  Crossword solvers (notable solutionists)

  Bill Clinton, 103–104

  Christopher Robin, 160

  Elizabeth II (queen of England), 161

  Frank Sinatra, 160

  George VI (king of England), 161

  Indira Gandhi, 160–161

  Margaret (princess), 161

  Norman Mailer, 161

  Thomas Keneally, 161

  Crossworld: One Man’s Journey into America’s Crossword Obsession (Romano), 104, 113–114

  Cruciverbalism: A Crossword Fanatic’s Guide to Life in the Grid (Newman), 177

  Cryptanalysis (code-breaking), 125–132

  Cryptarithm (aka alphametic), 12

  Cryptic crossword (puzzle variant)

  appearance of British mutation, x–xi

  detrimental effects, 99

  intelligence level and class distinction, 61–62

  Mathers as creator, 73, 81

  role of “clue,” 21

  ruse of “muse,” 47

  Sondheim as creator, 77–78

  use of acrostic, 24–25

  wartime code-breaking and, 125–126

  Cryptic definition clues, 81–82

  Cryptolog (magazine), 125

  The Curious History of the Crosswords: 100 Puzzles from Then and Now (Tausig), 177

  Cynewulf (Anglo-Saxon poet), 25

  Daily Sketch (newspaper), 17

  Danesi, Marcel, 25, 177

  Dawe, Leonard, 130–131

  Dawson, George Geoffrey, 50

  “DE,” ambiguity of words ending in, 41

  Dean, Roy, 161

  Deductive reasoning, 172–173

  Dementia, staving off the onset, x, 97–102, 158

  Dexter, Colin, 137

  Didion, Joan, 62

  Digital online puzzles, 106

  Dodimead, David, 95

  Dole, Robert, 63–65, 67

  Double acrostics (puzzle), 7, 21–25, 32, 86, 134, 144

  Double definition clues, 80

  Down

  book section defined, xi

  creating numbering system, 11

  origin of jargon, 20–21

  Drayton, Michael, 21

  Dr. Fill (crossword bot), 119–121

  Driberg, Tom (“Tiresias”), 149

  Dr. Phil (TV show), 119

  Duchamp, Marcel, 71

  Egmont, Aric, 116–117

  Eliot, T. S., 77

  Elizabeth II (queen of England), 161

  English History 1914–1915 (Taylor), 134

  English language

  about making game of, ix

  adaptation to other languages, 49–51

  exploiting ambiguity of, 40–42

  favorite crosswordy words, 45–48

  lending itself to crosswordiness, 43–45

  The Simpsons’ contributions, 140

  spoonerisms, origins of, 68–71

  spoonerisms, use in writings and puzzles, 71–75

  translating clues to other languages, 52–55

  The Enigma (magazine), 73–74

  Enigmatical Propositions, 163–164

  “ER,” ambiguity of words ending in, 40–41

  Esperanto (artificial language), 7

  Espionage. See also Hidden answers/messages

  crosswording as tool, x

  intelligence-gathering by CIA, 131–132

  WWII code-breaking and cryptanalysis, 125–131

  Étienne, Luc, 71, 177

  “Eye-Witnesses Should Not Do Cryptic Crosswords Prior to Identity Parades” (Lewis), 99

  Farrar, John C., 10

  Farrar, Margaret Petherbridge, 8–11, 145–146, 148

  Farrar, Straus and Giroux (publisher), 11

  Farrell, Jerry, 62, 64–65, 177

  “The Fascinating Problem of Uncle Meleager’s Will” (Sayer), 136

  Fifteensquared (crossword blog), 175

  Financial Times, 34, 61–62

  Fine, Philip, 98

  Fitzgerald, F. Scott, 59

  Flippant, Peter, 34

  French language, crosswordy words, 45

  French, Ronald, 130–131

  The Freshman (movie), 114

  Friedlander, Kathryn, 98–99, 101–102

  Friends (TV series), 91

  Fry, Stephen, 58, 105

  Fuller, Vincent, 137

  FUN

  crossword puzzles as, ix–xi

  inclusion in first “Word-Cross” puzzle, 7

  Future developments and advances. See Technology, crosswording and

  Games (magazine), 65

  Gandhi, Indira, 160–161

  Gardner, Meredith, 125–126

  Garland, John, 137

  Gee, Johnny, 177

  George VI (king of England), 161

  Getting Away with Murder (stage play, Sondheim), 135

  Gielgud, John, 95–96

  Gilbert, Val, 131

  Ginis, Kathleen Martin, 100

  Ginsberg, Matt, 119–120

  Goodliffe, Mark, 105–106

  Google Goggles (software), 118

  Gower Street dialect (aka spoonerism, “gowerism”), 69–70

  Graham, John (“Araucaria”), 87–88, 150–152

  Gray, Tracy, 170–171

  Greer, Brian, 83

  Grid. See also Crossword construction

  adaptation to other languages, 49–51

  aesthetics and parameters, 11

  appearance of, 20–21, 164

  as basic unit of crossword, 31

  computer-generated puzzles, 121–124

  finding the ninas, 30–35

  inductive reasoning and, 172–173

  letter counts in language translations, 52–55

  multi-dimensional formats, 169– 171

  pay-to-play puzzles, 17–18

  use of “crosswordy” words, 43–45

  Groening, Matt, 141–142

  The Guardian, 32, 57, 98, 147, 150, 175

  Hall, Barbara, 121

  Harvard University, 14

  Harvey, Georgina, 177

  Hearst, William Randolph, 4

  Helmlé, Eugen, 53

  Henderson, John (“Enigmatist”), 98

  Hidden answers/messages. See also Espionage

  creating cryptic clues, 79–88

  creating themed entries, 116–117, 140–144

  reaching the “penny-drop” moment, 98–99

  translations into other languages, 52–55

  use of acrostics, 22–27

  use of a nina, 30–35

  use of palindrome, 27–29
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  “High Stakes” (Wodehouse), 155

  Hirschfeld, Al, 30

  Hirschfeld, Nina, 30

  The History of “Punch” (Spielmann), 24

  Hollinghurst, Alan, 95

  “Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words” (TV show), 139–144

  Homer Simpson (fictional TV character), 139–144

  Hook, Henry, 33

  “Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! The Cross-Word Puzzle Book is out today” (Adams), 9

  Hot Fuzz (movie), 142

  Hotten, John, 69

  Hot Water (Wodehouse), 156

  “How to Do a Real Crossword Puzzle . . .” (Sondheim), 77

  Humpty Dumpty, 39

  Ido (artificial language), 7

  The Illustrated London News, 24

  Inductive reasoning, 172–173

  Inspector Morse (TV series), 133, 137–138, 177

  Interlocking words/squares, 11, 49, 80, 95, 163

  Internet, crosswording in the Cloud, 166–167

  I Say Nothing (Balfour), 175–176

  James, M. R., 157

  Jargon. See also Across; Clue(s); Down; Grid

  about origins of, 20–21

  creating ninas, 30–35

  Jed Bartlet (fictional TV character), 52–53, 84

  Jigsaw puzzles, 133

  Johnson, Boris, 123

  Journal of Experimental Psychology, 100

  Keneally, Thomas, 161

  Klein bottle, 169

  La Littérature Potentielle: Créations, Re-créations, Récréations (Oulipo), 177

  Lampkin, John, 48

  Lang, Matheson, 16–17

  Larkin, Philip, 77

  L’Art Du Contrepet (Étienne), 177

  The Last of Sheila (Sondheim), 135

  La Vie mode d’emploi [Life: A User’s Manual] (Perec), 53, 55, 134

  Le Livre Du Courage Et De La Peur (Renault), 177

  Leo McGarry (fictional TV character), 146

  Le Point (newspaper), 134

  Les Mots croisés, procédés de considérations de l’auteur sur l’art et la manière de croiser les mots (Perec), 45, 176

  Life: A User’s Manual [La Vie mode d’emploi] (Perec), 53, 55, 134

  The Listener (newspaper), 18, 76–78, 138, 169–170

  Little Ramblers (musical group), 14

  London The Daily Telegraph, 18, 123, 127, 129–131, 149

  London The Sunday Telegraph, 84–85

  London Times

  Adrian Bell as first constructor, 38

  Barbara Hall as puzzle editor, 121

  Crossword Championship, 34, 104–105, 150

  crossword first appearance, 18–19, 77–78

  crosswords as menace, 14–17

  George Dawson as puzzle editor, 50

  house style for puzzles, 33–34

  puzzle adaptations to technology, 166–167, 169

  Wodehouse as puzzle addict, 154–158