Millions of people spend a few relaxing moments each day working on crossword puzzles. But few people know these brain‑teasers were the invention of one man 100 years ago.
If you know a three‑letter word for a sea eagle — e r n — you probably like to spend time solving puzzles. Some enthusiasts solve many daily puzzles; Dan, a top cruciverbalist and reigning American Crossword Puzzle Tournament champion, does about ten a day and can finish them in minutes. Odd trivia and unusual vocabulary are par for the course for aficionados. For many, crosswords keep the mind sharp, provide diversion, and can even bring people together — one puzzling proposal in the “Washington Post” led to an engagement when a man embedded “Will you marry me?” in a Sunday crossword.
The very first crossword puzzle ran in the New York World on December 21, 1913, created by Arthur Wynne. He called it a “word‑cross” and printed it in the shape of a hollow diamond, with the first across answer — “FUN” — filled in for readers. At first, few papers ran crosswords and the pastime was little known. That changed when two young Columbia University journalism graduates, Dick Simon and Max Schuster, saw an opportunity to publish a book of puzzles. They compiled the world’s first crossword book, and their publishing house, Simon & Schuster, helped launch a national craze. Commuters kept unabridged dictionaries on hand to help fill in answers; crosswords inspired dresses, contests, Broadway scenes, and widespread newspaper features.
Despite the puzzle’s success, Arthur Wynne did not profit from his creation. When he asked his boss whether the puzzle should be copyrighted, Wynne said his boss dismissed it as a passing fad. Wynne never made a dime from the invention. His daughter, Catherine of Clearwater, Florida, recalled childhood games and puzzles her parents left for her, and remembered that Wynne enjoyed being called “the father of the modern crossword,” even if he hadn’t capitalized on it.
By the early 1920s the crossword had spread widely. Newspapers ran puzzles with huge prizes; crosswords became woven into daily life and popular culture. Over the years crosswords have evolved, but their core appeal remains: a daily puzzle with dozens of clues that sends the solver’s mind jumping from one topic to the next. For many, that combination of variety and challenge seems perfectly suited to the modern age.
