One Cross Word Puzzle Book leads to another.
Now that the second volume, containing a new series of fifty more Cross
Word Puzzles, is available, it seems fitting to take the reader behind
the scenes and give him a short history of this cross word business.
The first Cross Word Puzzle Book was published on April 10th, 1924. In
New York it sprang into immediate popularity, becoming there a best
seller within a fortnight. A small but ardent group of cross word
puzzle devotees gave the fad a running start. Among these pioneers may
be mentioned F. P. A., Montague Glass, Neysa McMein, Emily Price Post,
Baird Leonard, Ruth Hale, Gelett Burgess, Robert C. Benchley, Hendrik
Willem Van Loon, Kathleen and Charles G. Norris, Mary Roberts Rinehart,
and Carolyn Wells.
Cross word puzzling became the thing to do, the raging topic of
conversation, supplanting Coué, Mah Jong, and Bananas (first a
slogan—now a fact!). With this impetus, the pastime’s popularity
radiated to other cities, and within a month the Cross Word Puzzle Book
was ranked No. 4 on the national list of non-fiction best sellers.
Three weeks later it advanced to third place, and the following month
jumped into the lead, where it appears to remain indefinitely.
First a fad, then a best seller, the Cross Word Puzzle Book became an
American institution, immortalized in cartoons by Briggs, prose-epics
by Bob Benchley, and ballads by F. P. A.
Ordinary books are meant to be read. Here is a book in which one
writes—more than that, a book in which one has the supreme satisfaction
of unravelling a real mystery, tracking down clue after clue. This, no
doubt, is the secret of the irresistible fascination of Cross Word
Puzzling. Every one enjoys being an amateur Sherlock Holmes—and the
tantalizing black-and-white word patterns provide an ideal
battle-ground for one’s detective instincts.
This deep-rooted appeal explains the extraordinary popularity of the
book. When we announced in one of our early advertisements that “people
do not want this book—they crave it!” we had actual proof to support
this statement—frenzied fans storming the publishers’ office to get
extra copies in order “to keep peace in the house.”
Six weeks after the publication of the first Cross Word Puzzle Book—May
18th, to be precise—the Cross Word Puzzle Association of America was
formed at a convention at the Hotel Ambassador, New York. At this
congress the rules and regulations of Cross Word Puzzling were
formulated. A contest for the cross word puzzle championship of the
world was held, and William A. Stern II won first honors, solving a
standard eleven-square formation in 10 minutes, 10 and two-fifths
seconds. Mr. Stern has written a preface for this book, explaining the
delights of cross word puzzling, for both novice and veteran.
Thus, in the words of Neal O’Hara, America began to gasp for words. The
Cross Word Puzzle became the Great Escape from Boredom—the most
powerful enemy of ennui....
Not only entertainment and thrills, but sound instruction reward the
true Cross Word Puzzler. Here is the most delightful and the most
effective way of building up one’s vocabulary and enriching one’s
general fund of information. Dictionaries and synonym books joined the
best seller list, right behind The Cross Word Puzzle Book itself, for
every one, to obtain the maximum benefit and fun, must have a
dictionary or a word book handy.
The pencil and eraser provided with The Cross Word Puzzle Book proved
to be a most popular feature. Post cards for applying for the correct
answers to the puzzles also pleased the followers of the pastime. This
equipment, therefore, is retained in the Second Series. The suggestion
has been made that future editions of the book be equipped with
shock-absorbers and four-wheel brakes.
Thousands of puzzle enthusiasts have indicated their eagerness for this
second series of cross words. This book, like the first volume, is
edited and compiled by the Cross Word Puzzle Editors of the New York
World, the undisputed leaders of the gentle art. Every effort has been
made to safeguard the technical perfection of the puzzles. This time
they are arranged in the order of their difficulty, beginning with
fairly easy ones, and ranging to the most intricate formations,
calculated to baffle Houdini himself. Beauty of design, accuracy of
definition, complete interlock, and the minimum number of unkeyed
letters—these elements have all been considered in selecting the
puzzles. We are confident that they will prove as absorbing, as
entertaining,—yes, as exciting,—as the first fifty.
The Publishers.