How the Crossword Conquered America

Crossword puzzles were launched in the wake of the First World War, and public enthusiasm for them increases in times of world turmoil, as people look for pastimes to distract them from their worries. “Incredibly, for a gaming form that has a decidedly old-fashioned feel to it, crosswords are becoming more popular, not less,” writes Imogen West-Knights. She attended the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stamford, Connecticut to understand the enduring and increasing popularity of the hobby for Slate.

Shortz has argued that there is something inherently, morally good about doing crosswords. That it encourages a mindset that is open to acquiring new knowledge and open to the world around you. I’m not totally sold on that—that’s probably putting too much on a pastime. I think we should play crosswords primarily because they’re fun, not because they’re instructive.

But there is one element to my own crossword obsession that I think does go beyond fun, the element that means I will likely be a crossword person for the rest of my life. When you’re solving a crossword, the crossword is all there is. A four-walled world of squares and clues with one objective and one correct solution. There is a problem, and the problem is solvable. What I am really high on, when I am living in that little world, is control. Bringing order to this small, contained thing is a welcome relief from all of the bigger, more important things that seem uncontrollable.