The crossword craze — now and then — with Ben Zimmer

992. What began as a simple word game in 1913 sparked a nationwide craze just a decade later, causing a moral panic and changing American publishing forever. This week, Ben Zimmer, a prolific crossword constructor and language commentator, takes us through the crossword puzzle's surprising early history and enduring legacy. He also explores the modern crossword scene, including competitions, digital tools, and how new puzzle constructors are shaping the future of the game.

Links mentioned in the show:

Wall Street Journal piece on the centennial of the crossword craze: https://on.wsj.com/3U3zMPk

Crossword Craze: https://crosswordcraze.today/

Daily Crossword Links: https://dailycrosswordlinks.com/

Slate crosswords: https://slate.com/crossword

| Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/zimmer/transcript

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References for the Aging segment

van Boxtel, W, Lawyer, L. Sentence comprehension in ageing and Alzheimer's disease. Lang Linguist Compass. 2021;e12430.

Payne, B. R., Gao, X., Noh, S. R., Anderson, C. J., & Stine-Morrow, E. A. (2012). The effects of print exposure on sentence processing and memory in older adults: Evidence for efficiency and reserve. Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 19(1–2), 122–149.