The Times differentiates itself by taking a stand for civility in public discourse, sometimes at an acknowledged cost in the vividness of an article or two, and sometimes at the price of submitting to gibes. Lexicographer Jesse Sheidlower, covering the scandal, noted how the crossword fits in with the Times's style as stated in its manual:Ī larger concern is for the newspaper's character. 'Scumbag' defined in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Did you know that word was originally a slang term for a condom? In 2006, readers complained that standards had slipped when the answer to a 43d, clued as "Scoundrel", turned out to be SCUMBAG. The NYT, by contrast, is almost always on its best behaviour. It would be invidious to privilege either the UK or the US style of crosswording for better or worse, the ones Sinatra did would be more appropriate training for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire than they would for Bletchley Park.Ī more interesting difference is one of morality, or perhaps of manners.īritish cryptics can offer all kinds of suggestive and salacious imagery, as spotted here each week in our crossword roundups. (There's a fascinating look at how the NYT puzzle comes together in a recent piece in the Atlantic about its indomitable editor Will Shortz.) For the NYT, the solver needs a mix of approaches involving more general knowledge and non-English vocab, and much less wordplay. It's worth remembering that the New York Times puzzle is not made of the same stuff as British broadsheet cryptics. For me, it's not surprising that Sinatra sat down sometimes, or that he enjoyed word puzzles. The Mirror plays the story as a surprise, headlining it Womaniser Frank Sinatra Liked Nothing More than Sitting Down to do a Crossword. It's an arresting image: Ol' Clue Eyes asking Dean Martin for help with a sticky acrostic while shouting at Sammy Davis Jr for failing to fetch the Chairman of the Board his favourite pencil. What a wonderful way to pass the time and also learn new answers every day. The Sunday puzzle is completed in 90 to 120 minutes. Today I would say a daily puzzle is completed in 30 to 40 minutes. Sinatra describes how he got hooked, and how he made a regular challenge to himself to solve more quickly: The hook is a recent Sinatra memorabilia auction, including a 1989 typewritten love letter from crooner to crossword editor.
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