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| Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central’s The
Daily Show, talks about the New York Times crossword puzzle in
Wordplay. |
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Eight-letter word for quirky
documentary?
Watch Wordplay on PBS 45 & 49 this
Saturday, Oct. 20 at 11 p.m.
(If you're an insomniac or a Master of the TiVo, check it out
Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 1:30 a.m.)
Jon Stewart, Bob Dole, the Indigo Girls and Ken Burns
do it every week. So do about 50 million other people around the
world. Do you?
I’m talking about the New York Times crossword
puzzle, the “gold
standard” of all crosswords.
Wordplay tells the story of the
New York Times crossword, its editor Will Shortz and the
people who love to do the puzzle. The film,
released in theaters in 2006, makes its broadcast debut this week
under the Independent
Lens umbrella. Wordplay presents an entertaining and informative look
at Shortz’ work and that of the puzzle constructors with
whom he collaborates, as well as coverage of the American Crossword
Puzzle Tournament, an annual competition founded by Shortz. You’ll
also meet a number of crossword enthusiasts.
Former President Bill
Clinton is one of them, and in Wordplay he admits to sometimes
reading more than half the clues before he
can plug in an answer. He likens the problem-solving exercise of
doing the puzzle to the process of solving larger problems. By
starting with what you know and building around it, he observes,
you’ll eventually find a solution. (Or get out your puzzle
dictionary.)
Shortz is also a guy who knows how to find solutions.
How does a lifelong puzzle lover turn hobby into profession? In
Shortz’ case,
he started by majoring in it. He received a degree in Enigmatology,
the study of puzzles, from Indiana University in 1974. It wasn’t
and isn’t an established degree program — he created
the course of study himself. And according to his NPR biography,
he is the only person in the world to hold such a degree.
If you
think Wordplay is a film only a logophile could love, think again.
It’s a fresh and original story about people who think
and who have fun thinking.
Links and Resources from the Independent
Lens site:
NPR: Sunday Puzzle
You may know Shortz from his other big gig, as host of National
Public Radio’s “Sunday Puzzle” Link here to solve
Shortz’ on-air puzzles online.
American Crossword Puzzle Tournament
The nation’s largest, oldest and most prestigious crossword
solve-off.
New
York Times: Crosswords and Games
Solve free classic puzzles; join the crossword forums and more.
GAMES
Sample puzzles and games from the famed mag, which Shortz once
edited.
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Past Posts
Does Nova have a contender?
Lisa Martinez, PBS 45 & 49’s Vice
President of Marketing & Development
As vice president of marketing and development, I oversee
private sector fund-raising, including membership, underwriting
and
grants; external communications including publications, the
Web site, community outreach, public relations and press
relations; and promotional and fund-raising events.
I’ve
been with PBS
45 & 49 for over 20 years, joining the
station in 1985 as an intern. I worked in communications for
the first 18 years and was then promoted to my current position
in 2004. I'm a member of the North Central Ohio Chapter of
the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and my civic
involvement
includes volunteer work for the Main Street Kent revitalization
project and the Portage County Board of Elections.
I grew up
in Canton, Ohio, graduated from GlenOak High School, went
to The Ohio State University for a week and returned home
because my dorm room was shaped like a piece of pie. (Who can
live like that?) So I enrolled at Kent State, where I declared
many majors, from advertising to secondary education, all the
while taking the literature courses I really loved. Eventually
I admitted I was an English major and earned both a B.A. and
M.A. from KSU. I've taught Freshman English as a part-timer
at KSU over the years, until it dawned on me that grading papers
is among my least favorite things to do. But I'm still in love
with Kent after all these years. It's a unique place — small
enough to be a town (a very non-suburban one) but big enough
to allow for a bit of city anonymity. |
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