The Curious History of the Crossword: 100 Puzzles from Then and Now (1) (Puzzlecraft) - Softcover

2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the original crossword puzzle. Arthur Wynne was a British journalist working for a NY newspaper in 1913. He wanted to do a new game for the back of the newspaper, so he devised a diamond grid with no black squares. He called it a "Word Cross," and thus the first crossword puzzle was born. In this book, crossword constructor Ben Tausig takes examines the curious history of the crossword and its evolution in the past 100 years. Each chapter compares puzzles from then and now and are accompanied by one hundred challenging puzzles for readers complete (classic early puzzles will also be included). Chapters include:

Chapter 1 - Basic Expected Knowledge to Finish a Crossword, Then & Now
Chapter 2 - Transcendent Puzzle Themes, Then & Now
Chapter 3 - Esoteric Words, Then & Now
Chapter 4 - Humor in Crosswords, Then & Now
Chapter 5 - The Breakfast Table Rule, Then & Now
Chapter 6 - The Rise of Indie Puzzles
Chapter 7 - How Puzzles Pass through Generations
Chapter 8 - Technology in Puzzles
Chapter 9 - The Great Constructors, Then & Now
Chatper 10 - Puzzle Economies
Chapter 11 - The Future of the Crossword

BEN TAUSIG is the author of Penguin Classics Crossword Puzzles, Gonzo Crosswords, and Crosswords from the Underground: 72 Puzzles from Alternative Newspapers. He is a freelance puzzle constructor living in New York City. He creates a weekly feature called "Ink Well" distributed in alternative weeklies across the continent in addition to editing a puzzle for The Onion AV Club. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Ethnomusicology.