Have you ever noticed it’s beautiful symmetry? The themes that run through them? The tricks of wordplay? That dance of challenge to triumph? If the answer to any of these questions is a “no” then we’ve got something for you that will help you build an entirely new appreciation, perhaps even an infatuation, with the crossword puzzle. Let’s dive into what makes a great crossword. It is this dance of difficulty and triumph that makes any game or puzzle worth spending time on. Think about it, a good puzzle, whether it’s the crossword, sudoku, or jigsaw, all have to sit on the razor edge of being just hard enough to stump us on occasion, but just easy enough that we can feel that little sense of accomplishment when we do solve the problem. So why do we puzzle? Why on Earth would any of us find joy or interest in something that frustrates and challenges us? These masters of puzzle making create the puzzles that, for many people (myself included) consume hours of our lives. Unless of course, you’re looking for a 14 letter word for, “gridded puzzle builder” in your Sunday crossword. Source: Glenn Fleishman // Flickr Why do we puzzle?Ĭruciverbalist isn’t a word that tends to come up much. And the appeal that these fabulous word puzzles have had on us for over 100 years speaks to some of the wonderful quirks of human nature and pieces of culture that connect us. So why, in a place dedicated to proving “celebrating goodness and progress” would we bring up crossword puzzles? Well because, like so many things when you look a little bit further, a mundane crossword has a complex and wonderful life all its own. Whether we merely see it while thumbing through the paper or an inflight magazine, or have fond memories of doing the crossword with a grandparent, it’s one of those things that is, for most, just around. What if I told you that crossword puzzles have a hidden beauty all their own? And that they can help us glean some insights into human nature? Yes, that standard grid of black and white squares has a life all its own that will leave you appreciating another wonderful corner of the world.įor many, the crossword puzzle holds a place of ubiquity. This article was originally published February 3, 2019.
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