Review: Crossword puzzles make for engaging film topic

Directed by: Patrick Creadon

Featuring: Will Shortz, Ken Burns, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, The Indigo Girls, Merl Reagle, Jon Stewart

Rated: PG

Since there have been films based on video games, characters from TV comedy bits, even amusement park rides, when I heard about the film “Wordplay,” the first thought that came to mind was, “Have they made a film based on a crossword puzzle?”

Ads proclaiming, “With special guest star, TV’s ‘Benson,’ Robert Guillaume, as 14 Across,” haunted my dreams.

It wasn’t just the thought of sitting through a wretched film, but the nagging fear that such a cinematic excursion would sour me forever on a pastime that I, like countless millions, have enjoyed for a long time.

But my fears proved to be a nine-letter word for “without base” – unfounded.

Instead, “Wordplay” is a fascinating and entertaining documentary about the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, the people who enter it and other people who create, edit or habitually engage in playing the most popular and widespread word game ever created.

Liverpool, England, the town that gave us The Beatles, was also home to Arthur Wynne, a journalist who is credited as creator of the first published crossword puzzle. It appeared in “The New York World” on Dec. 21, 1913. Wynne based his concept on word-square games that had been appearing in children’s books since the 19th century. But the crossword rapidly became an adult pastime. In some cases, it is a pastime that borders on obsession.

The Sunday “New York Times” crossword is the standard bearer for American crossword puzzles. The “Times” has a tried-and-true formula. Crosswords are published every day, Monday through Sunday, and each day’s puzzle gets successively more difficult. The Sunday puzzle is the holy grail.

For solvers – and regular listeners of NPR’s “Weekend Edition”– the name Will Shortz is a familiar one. He’s NPR’s “puzzle master” and for nearly 30 years has been the editor of the “New York Times’” daily crosswords. As we learn in the film, Shortz was obsessed with wordplay from an early age. He was fortunate enough to attend Indiana University, a school that allows students to create their own majors. Shortz managed to get his degree in “enigmatology.”

Shortly after taking over at the “Times,” he created the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. In the film, much of the drama comes as we are introduced to the contestants in the 28th annual contest and follow them through the final round, which pits the three best solvers against each other and the clock. This tournament is as competitive as any event you’re likely to witness, but there’s also a great amount of camaraderie among the contestants, most of them seasoned veterans.

Interspersed throughout are fascinating interviews with famous fans of the crossword, as well as an ongoing conversation with Merl Reagle. Reagle is regarded as one of the top crossword puzzle creators working today. He shows us how he goes about creating a word grid and explains many of the accepted guidelines used in modern crossword puzzles. Puzzles have symmetry of design, for instance, and there are certain types of words that are taboo as answers. Reagle says “enema” or “urine” would be great words because of their structure, but crossword publishers understand that many of their readers engage in the pastime while having breakfast or otherwise relaxing.

Bodily function words are simply not acceptable. This is a civilized sport.

Shortz explains some of the duties involved in editing the puzzles. He must decide the degree of difficulty of every submission, and he goes through the clues, changing them as necessary to maintain a continuity of style. The clues are also carefully examined and tweaked to incorporate a degree of playfulness. Any avid solver knows that there’s much more to a crossword than just figuring out the words to fill in the boxes. The cleverness of the clues and the adherence to a puzzle’s theme add much to the entire package.

Shortz also reveals who, studies have shown, are the best solvers. While one might assume it would be linguist or English majors, in fact, the creme de la creme of puzzlers are mathematicians and musicians. I’ve hung around with lots of musicians over the years and figured they did crosswords because there was little else to pass the time while enduring interminable van rides or days in cheap motels. No. It seems the same skill set that makes Joe Terry a great keyboard player also makes him a crossword whiz.

Several well-known aficionados provide insights into the joys of crosswords. Interviews with President Bill Clinton, Yankee pitcher Mike Mussina, filmmaker Ken Burns, comedian/fake news guy Jon Stewart and Sen. Bob Dole present thoughts on this particular obsession.

Director Patrick Creadon, a veteran cinematographer, uses a handful of engaging visual effects to compel the film along, and it’s an easygoing 90-minute ride. If you’re a chronic crossworder you will, without a doubt, find the film fascinating. Even if you’ve never engaged in the activity, “Wordplay” is a fine example of stylish documentary filmmaking and gives great insight into its subject matter.

It’s a surprisingly good film.

Jim Wunderle owns Wunderle Sound Services and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician. He can be reached at info@wunderlesound.com.