accessory: Crossword Clues for "Around the Lake" crossword/jigsaw puzzleThe Strong National Museum of Play
Cryptic clues, obscure words, and an all-round puzzling proposition: the crossword has become a staple of newspapers and puzzle-books around the world. But how did it all begin? Well, scroll down...
...and then across...
...for a brief history of the world's favorite brain-teaser in five clues.
LIFE Photo Collection
1. US City in Massachussetts (7 Letters)
Where were crosswords first invented? Well, the first known use of the phrase "cross word puzzle" appeared in Our Young Folks in 1862, a magazine published in...
BOSTON
Cultural Crossword
2. Home of the Beatles (9 Letters)
But it wasn't until December 1913 that the modern puzzle was invented. The New York World ran a 'word-cross' puzzle (changed by printers to read 'cross-word') designed by Arthur Wynne, a journalist from the British city of...
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Crossword puzzle:Cross Word Puzzle Pad (ca. 1940) by Frederick H. BeachThe Strong National Museum of Play
3. Enjoyed or liked by many people (7 Letters)
Throughout the 1900s, the puzzles spread like wildfire. Not everyone was so pleased though. In 1924, the New York Times called crosswords "a sinful waste", and a prominent clergyman said they displayed a "childish mentality". Despite this criticism they grew to be extremely...
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By Walter SandersLIFE Photo Collection
4. The journey to work (7 Letters)
Their accessibility, and the appealing, easy-to-print, black-and-white design (perfect for newspapers) meant crosswords spread beyond committed puzzlers to the whole population. Soon, many could be seen solving crosswords on their morning...
COMMUTE
Play with Arts & Culture: Visual Crosswords
5. Time from the present moment onwards (6 Letters)
With Google Arts & Culture, you can play visual crosswords, linking artworks, or try your hand at a more traditional, culture-inspired puzzle. Watch here and in the next panel to learn how you can bring crosswords into the...
Play with Arts & Culture: Cultural Crosswords
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