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When Was the First Crossword Puzzle Published?

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Quick Answer

The first crossword puzzle appeared on December 21, 1913, in the New York World newspaper.

The Full Story

Arthur Wynne, a journalist from Liverpool, created the first known crossword puzzle for the "Fun" section of the New York World on December 21, 1913. He called it a "word-cross" puzzle, and it was diamond-shaped rather than the square grids we know today. The puzzle quickly gained popularity, and by the 1920s, crossword mania swept the United States. Simon & Schuster published the first book of crossword puzzles in 1924, which became a bestseller. Today, crosswords appear in virtually every major newspaper worldwide.

Key Facts

1.Arthur Wynne's original puzzle had no black squares — it was an open diamond grid
2.The New York Times did not publish crosswords until 1942, nearly 30 years after the format was invented
3.The word "crossword" emerged from a typesetting error that swapped "word-cross" to "cross-word"

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The surprising history of crossword puzzles — from a newspaper novelty to a global obsession"

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