BS: Crossword Puzzle's 97th B/day Dec 2010

Subject: BS: Crossword Puzzle's 97th B/day Dec 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 21 Dec 10 - 07:58 PM

97 down and word nerds still puzzled

DOWN

97. Created in 1913 to fill space in a newspaper (9).

The CROSSWORD first appeared in a New York World supplement 97 years ago today as an answer to journalist Arthur Wynne's space issues.

But Wynne's "wordcross", with 32 clues, not only filled that space, it went on to "seize the American imagination", according to crossword compiler and self-confessed "word nerd" David Astle.

see the rest of the article for a pic of the first crossword

Subject: RE: BS: Crossword Puzzle's 97th B/day Dec 2010
From: Leadfingers
Date: 21 Dec 10 - 08:30 PM

Its a shame that USA let UK corner the market for Cryptic Crosswords

Subject: RE: BS: Crossword Puzzle's 97th B/day Dec 2010
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Dec 10 - 08:51 PM

Kewl!

Subject: RE: BS: Crossword Puzzle's 97th B/day Dec 2010
From: bobad
Date: 21 Dec 10 - 09:03 PM

Good stuff. I started doing crosswords back in college during lectures - probably one reason why I never graduated. I'm still doing them - limited to NY Times Friday and Saturday and finish them 99% of the time too. Supposedly it's good brain exercise to stave off Alzheimer's - I'll let you know if it works (if I remember).

Subject: RE: BS: Crossword Puzzle's 97th B/day Dec 2010
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 21 Dec 10 - 09:53 PM

Ah Bobad, if only that were true. My father, I am told, was a whiz at crossword puzzles, and could complete the Sunday offerings in about 15 minutes. He also was a life master at contract bridge, and a tournament director. He lived to be 89, the last five years with Alzheimers...the last couple of years he was totally incompetent. I hope it is not the only thing he bequeaths to me.

The moral is, I guess, that one can live a healthy life style, eat nutritiously, exercise your body and brain, and still suffer that debilitating disease.

Subject: RE: BS: Crossword Puzzle's 97th B/day Dec 2010
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 22 Dec 10 - 05:32 AM

I like playing with crosswords (not cryptic, tho!) I have a collection of dictionaries, a thesaurus, several crossword dictionaries, a few word lists & still rarely manage to finish them!

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Crossword Puzzle's 97th B/day Dec 2010
From: fat B****rd
Date: 22 Dec 10 - 06:12 AM

To many UK Catpersons Araucaria is THE MAN. And he's 90. King of the Cryptic.