The Crossword Obsession: The History and Lore of the World's Most Popular Pastime

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Berkeley Books, 2001 - Games & Activities - 369 pages
This lively, detailed history of the crossword puzzle not only gives us a few clues about how and why these puzzles became so popular, but also introduces us to the people behind the story and the surprising role crosswords have played in our world. From square one to the last word, this marvelous tribute includes: * Origins of the modern crossword puzzle, with examples of early word games * Insider tips from competition champs and prominent puzzlemakers * General solving strategies and secrets * Crossword controversies, such as "crosswordese" * Cluing and construction for the Will Wengs of tomorrow-including information on the latest computer software for the puzzle constructor * All about crossword tournaments and contests * Valuable reference section-including websites for crosswords and research websites * PLUS: A special bonus selection of challenging puzzles!

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Contents

SQUARE
xi
GAME WARDENS
39
WINNING HANDS
143
Copyright

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About the author (2001)

Coral Amende is a veteran puzzle constructor whose crosswords and original word games have been featured in The New York Times (yes, the Sunday Edition), The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Magazine, where she has been a puzzle creator and editor since 1993. She is the author of the Random House Famous Name Finder, Hollywood Confidential, Country Confidential, and Rock Confidential, If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say....Come Sit Next to Me, and the RPG Game Collection.

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