A documentary featuring The New York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz, who also appears as the puzzle master on NPR's Sunday morning program, as well as contestants at the 2005 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stamford, CT, an annual event Shortz founded. He says he's proud to be associated with the two greatest news organizations in the world.

There are an estimated fifty million Americans who work crossword puzzles each week (some use a pencil, others ink pens) - including Jon Steward, host of The Daily Show; filmmaker Ken Burns; the Indigo Girls, who say wordplay and song writing are similar; Mike Mussina, pitcher for the New York Yankees; Bill Clinton, and Bob Dole.

A famous crossword puzzle for the day before the results of the 1996 presidential election had two parts both with the clue "Tomorrow's headline": the second answer was ELECTION and the first allowed for either CLINTON or BOBDOLE.

Shortz, 57, has long been fascinated with enigmatology; he began his career at The New York Times in 1993, 15 years after he started the crossword tournament in Stamford.

"Crosswords" versus "Crossswords." Puzzle constructor Merle Reagle demonstrates how crossword puzzles are created. For example, a crossword puzzle's pattern of black and white squares should have 180º symmetry.

Shortz receives 60-75 puzzles each week from which he selects seven to be published; beginning with Monday they are of increasing difficulty through the week, some with a theme. About 110 different constructors get their puzzles published each year in The New York Times.

As a group, musicians and mathematicians tend to be the best puzzle solvers. Humans with their fluid intelligence can outperform computers at solving crossword puzzles.

The film takes us into the 28th American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, a weekend of puzzle solving at the Stamford Marriott with seven crossword puzzles, leading up to the final championship round of the top three finishers, focusing on the top contestants (who can solve most crossword puzzles in a few minutes without aids) of current and past competitions: Al Sanders of Ft Collins, CO; Ellen Ripstein, the 2001 champion from NYC; Daniel Okrent, public editor at The New York Times; Jon Delfin, pianist from NYC; Tyler Hinman, 20-year-old IT major from NYC; Trip Payne, from Ft Lauderdale, FL, who won in 1992 at age 24; and Patrick Jordan of Ponca City, OK. It's exciting.

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Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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