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Every day, thousands of people pick up a copy of The New York Times, reach for a pencil (or, if they’re more daring, a pen), and try their hand at the day’s crossword. Some are just casual puzzlers—from the Average Joe on the subway to more famous puzzlers, like Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart, Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, or Former President Clinton—who enjoy the daily challenge. But others live for the daily crossword, fed to them by Times crossword editor Will Shortz. These are the people who keep a stopwatch next to their copy of the Times, who push themselves to complete the puzzle in record time, and who dream of one day competing in the final round at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT), held each March in Stamford, Connecticut.
Wordplay is a documentary about Will Shortz and the crossword phenomenon. While the beginning of the film leans heavily on Shortz—his background, the puzzle designers who work with him, and his Times following—it gradually shifts its focus to the ACPT and its competitors. We’re introduced to a number of contenders—people of all ages, from various backgrounds—the best of the best in the puzzle world. As they eagerly gather in Stamford for the 2005 competition, the cameras follow, allowing the rest of the story to write itself.
As you might imagine, Wordplay isn’t the most dynamic of films—but I don’t think anyone would go to see a crossword puzzle documentary expecting action or adventure. Considering the subject matter, though, Wordplay is actually pretty interesting. Stewart, of course, is the life of the film, adding plenty of comic relief (and adding a little life to an otherwise reserved, solitary pastime). But the competitors make for fascinating and quirky characters, too.
Since I’ve never been much of a crossword enthusiast, it was a whole new world for me. But the scenes that show one of Shortz’s designers creating a new puzzle gave me a whole new appreciation for crosswords. And I’ll even admit that it made me want to pick up a puzzle to see what the fuss is all about—though I don’t think you’ll find me competing for the championship anytime in the near future.
If you’re an avid follower of Shortz’s New York Times crosswords, you won’t want to miss this documentary. The rest of you might find it intriguing, as I did—but it’s definitely not a must-see.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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