Will Shortz
NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz has appeared on Weekend Edition Sunday since the program's start in 1987. He's also the crossword editor of The New York Times, the former editor of Games magazine, and the founder and director of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (since 1978).
Will sold his first puzzle professionally when he was 14 — to Venture, a denominational youth magazine. At 16 he became a regular contributor to Dell puzzle publications. He is the only person in the world to hold a college degree in Enigmatology, the study of puzzles, which he earned from Indiana University in 1974.
Born in 1952 and raised on an Arabian horse farm in Indiana, Will now lives near New York City in a Tudor-style house filled with books and Arts and Crafts furniture. When he's not at work, he enjoys bicycling, movies, reading, travel, and collecting antique puzzle books and magazines.
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Listener Jerry Cordaro plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro. -
Listener Jo Ann Hauger plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro. -
Listener Brad Humphreys plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro. -
Listener Daniel Rochberg of Washington, D.C., plays the puzzle with Weekend Edition puzzle master Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro. -
Listener Harry Phillips plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro. -
Lee Ann Koehler plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro. -
Mandy Whitaker plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro. -
Efrem Mallach plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro. -
Listener Debbi Samuels of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., plays the puzzle with Weekend Edition puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Scott Detrow. -
Patty Docker-Ford plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
