“A Primitive Sort of Mental Exercise”
By Ellen Bryant
New York Times Crossword Editor, Margaret Farrar.
I am an avid crossword puzzler. There's something about figuring out how all of the words fit together in that tidy grid that I can't resist. I start each day with the New York Times Crossword, working my way up in difficulty from the easy Monday offering to the generally much more challenging Sunday puzzle.
The New York World was the first paper to run a crossword for Americans to puzzle over, with a grid designed by newspaperman Arthur Wynne. Readers loved it, and in 1924 Simon & Schuster published the first crossword book.
Interestingly, however, the New York Times was initially vehemently opposed to participating in the crossword craze and didn't begin including one in their publication until February 15, 1942, when they felt the American people needed a diversion from World War II.
They certainly didn't mince words (no pun intended) when it came to the editorial opinon of these "sinful wastes of time".
An opinion column stated: "This is not a game at all, and it hardly can be called a sport; it merely is a new utilization of leisure by those for whom it otherwise would be empty and tedious."
The Times reexamined its stance following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, with the knowledge that Americans may be facing rather bleak blackout hours and would benefit from something to fill them.
Crossword pioneer, Margaret Farrar helped push the puzzle forward with a note to the editor that said, "I don’t think I have to sell you on the increased demand for this type of pastime in an increasingly worried world. You can’t think of your troubles while solving a crossword..."
Farrar went on to serve as the Times first crossword editor, a post she held for 27 years. She is credited with raising the standard of puzzles through her insistence on high quality construction and rigorous editing. Puzzle editors tend to stick around for the long haul; there have been only four since Margaret Farrar.
The New York Times began providing a digital version of the puzzle beginning in 1996, and I'll admit that my daily solves are now done on my laptop or phone, rather than with a pen-—but that doesn't make them any easier! Recently while diving into a Sunday puzzle, I learned that creator David Steinberg directed a project that digitized over 16,000 (!) Times crosswords that ran in print from 1942 to 1993. These puzzles are free to access and solve online.
It was fascinating to try my hand at the very first Times puzzle from 1942. Many of the clues sent me to Google trying to figure out the names of naval ports and German cities, references that must have been very top of mind for Americans at that time!
Many of the pop culture, history, literature, and geographical clues also required some research on my part—a testament to changing times and different educational focus.
Next up, I'm going to give the puzzle published on my birthday a try, and then who knows, maybe work my way through all 16,000.
That should keep me busy!
You can find the digitized archive of old Times puzzles at www.xwordinfo.com/Calendar?type=ps
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