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Thursday, July 5, 2012

The World's First Crossword Puzzle

The first crossword puzzle, 12/21/1913

By Arthur Wynne, December 21, 1913
from The New York World

(Solution here)

2-3. What bargain hunters enjoy. 6-22. What we all should be.
4-5. A written acknowledgment. 4-26. A day dream.
6-7. Such and nothing more. 2-11. A talon.
10-11. A bird. 19-28. A pigeon.
14-15. Opposed to less. F-7. Part of your head.
18-19. What this puzzle is. 23-30. A river in Russia.
22-23. An animal of prey. 1-32. To govern.
26-27. The close of a day. 33-34. An aromatic plant.
28-29. To elude. N-8. A fist.
30-31. The plural of is. 24-31. To agree with.
8-9. To cultivate. 3-12. Part of a ship.
12-13. A bar of wood or iron. 20-29. One.
16-17. What artists learn to do. 5-27. Exchanging.
20-21. Fastened. 9-25. To sink in mud.
24-25. Found on the seashore. 13-21. A boy.
10-18. The fibre of the gomuti palm.

2 comments:

Mark Hubbard said...

It surprises me that the first crossword wasn't until 1913. I would've assumed a much earlier date than that.

I wonder if Arthur took out a patent?

World of the Written Word said...

He wouldn't need to -- would he? Once it was published it was under copyright. But I do wonder who held or holds the copyright ...?