![]() ![]() When the crossword was canceled in 1968, 39 students signed a petition “respectfully requesting of the powers that be that our educational and entertainment goals and desires be fulfilled by the inclusion of a crossword puzzle in the venerable Daily.” The Daily editors claimed the crossword was “not worth it” and canceled it again in 1974, but four years later, they began publishing syndicated New York Times crosswords every day.Īt certain points, students have disparaged The Daily’s crosswords. “I used to work industriously at them in my cold, cold 8 o’clocks, but since you’ve done away with them I have no incentive to scramble out of bed and wend my way to class,” one puzzler protested. ![]() ![]() The first run of the crossword ended after just two months in 1935, and letters to the editor poured in. Whenever the puzzle was canceled or suspended, readers complained. The Daily crossword has changed hands numerous times throughout the feature’s history, from various companies that sell syndicated crosswords to students taking up the mantle of “Crossword Editor.” The changes always spur strong reactions from readers, reflecting the essential place that puzzles hold in their hearts. Margaret Farrar, the first crossword editor for the Times, decided that the world needed a distraction from the tragedies. The New York Times initially refused to publish a crossword, calling it a “sinful waste,” but was convinced to do so in the midst of World War II. The puzzle’s role in distracting and entertaining the student body may seem trivial, but the history of the crossword in major newspapers suggests that it provides a vital service. An informal poll in 1986 concluded that one in four Daily readers went straight to the crossword when they opened the paper and reported that many saved it for class. Before cell phones, the best way to entertain yourself in a dreary lecture was to pull out that morning’s edition of The Daily and work on the crossword. “This will have no impact on your sex life,” they admitted cheekily, “but we hope you will enjoy it.” A welcome distractionįor most of its history, The Daily crossword was a mindless in-class distraction for tired students. The Daily announced the crossword’s return in 1978 “to relieve classroom boredom and add zest” to student life. Paging through the archives, you discover the spirit of Stanford’s many word nerds through the ages.įor example, the prim formality of the 1930s announcement gave way to the boisterous ’70s. It has been canceled and revived many times, each time with its own flavor. The crossword proved popular, but not without its changes and controversies through its 88-year history. “The permanence of this feature depends on the popularity accorded their innovation.” “To give students ever more service and pleasure The Daily starts today a series of Crossword Puzzles,” it wrote. That pretty much guaranteed a low profile for me, because variety puzzles get very little attention.On April 2, 1935, The Stanford Daily announced its first crossword with great fanfare. I was actually a relative latecomer to crosswords I spent my first seven years in the biz inventing new variety puzzle forms. ![]() They often contain ambiguities that crosswords don’t have-the solver won’t always know an answer’s length or exactly how it fits into the grid, so there’s an element of logic to solving them. Variety puzzles are my personal favorites. Finding enjoyment in problem solving seems like a uniquely human trait. There’s something compelling to me in the idea of one person creating an intellectual challenge, and another person accepting that challenge. What attracts you to puzzles? They seem, at first glance, like a trivial distraction, but then when you realize that there are people who devote their lives to making them you have to reconsider. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |