The History of Crossword Puzzles

For many, doing the crossword puzzle in the newspaper is part of a daily ritual. People all over the world enjoy the word puzzle game. In fact, crossword puzzles are considered by some to be "the most popular and widespread game in the world". The first published crossword puzzle was invented by Arthur Wynne in 1913.

The Origins of the Crossword

The precursor to modern crossword puzzles first appeared in England in the 19th century. The first crossword puzzles were extremely simple. Known as a children's game, these crossword puzzles were primarily printed in children's puzzle books. The format was different from the modern crossword puzzle. These puzzles were a type of word square, with a group of words arranged so that the letters read both vertically and horizontally.

Crossword Inventor Arthurs Wynne

Arthur Wynne is credited with the invention of the first published crossword puzzle. Wynne, an immigrant from Liverpool, England, worked for the New York World. He was tasked with creating a new game for the newspaper. Wynne took the word squares from his childhood and transformed them into a larger and more complex game. Instead of providing the necessary words, he provided clues for completion of the puzzle.

The First Publication

Wynne's invention was published in the December 21, 1913 edition of the New York World. It appeared in the "Fun" section, in the category of "mental exercises". The crossword was in a diamond-shaped format, and did not have any of the blackened out squares that are included in today's crossword puzzles. The clues given for the crossword were also very easy, with simple answers. Despite the simple format, the new game was a huge success.

Popularity and Success

The popularity of the Wynne's puzzle was expanded when other newspapers borrowed it for publication. Soon other newspapers were creating their own puzzles. Crossword puzzles were featured in almost all American newspapers within a decade. The first book of crossword puzzles was published in 1924. During this period, crossword puzzles began to evolve into the modern form used today.

Expansion of the Crossword

The new crossword craze spread quickly to England. The first British publication to publish a crossword was Pearson's Magazine, in 1922. On February 1, 1930, The London Times published its first crossword. British crossword puzzles developed a style different from their American predecessors. Most prominently, the puzzles provided cryptic clues and were much more difficult to solve.

Crossword puzzles have spread throughout the entire world. In fact, the popular word puzzle can be found in every major alphabet based language. In 1978, the American Crossword Tournament was founded, drawing players from around the world. The tournament gives crossword enthusiasts a chance to meet other solvers and compete for prizes. From its humble origins as a children's game, the crossword puzzle has evolved into a complex puzzle with the potential to stump even the most expert players.