Natan Last's erudite, thoughtful debut, Across the Universe, investigates the origins, cultural influence, and often tricky politics of the crossword puzzle. Spanning more than a century, from the first "Word-Cross" puzzles appearing in the New York World in 1913 to the proliferation of modern-day digital puzzles, Last's account explores the path crosswords took to become a well-established linguistic and cultural art form. Thoroughly researched and delightfully nerdy, this cultural history is packed with quirky personalities and bursting with cleverly constructed clues.
"The crossword has never been more popular, or more democratic," Last notes in his introduction, citing the explosion of puzzle-solving and puzzle-making during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the rise of crossword-focused blogs, websites, and crossword-creating software. While cruciverbalists--crossword creators and aficionados--have existed since the puzzle's invention, they are more ubiquitous than ever, and many of them are analyzing the content and form of the crossword, even as they help to shape it.
Last breaks his chronicle into three sections, asserting variously that "the crossword should be data" (where he delves into linguistics, history, commercialism, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence); "a soapbox" (which explores the political implications of certain words and clues that continue to evolve as the crossword evolves); and "art" (where he focuses on the presence and impact of the crossword on culture, with a showcase of puzzles constructed to please aesthetically as well as linguistically). He profiles giants of the crossword world, including veteran New York Times crossword editor and "puzzlemaster" Will Shortz, for whom Last once spent a summer interning; Margaret Farrar, who served as the Times's first crossword editor and helped popularize and systematize it; and other editors, solvers, and cruciverbalists who have helped make the puzzle what it is today.
"Crossword puzzles are quantum, always two things at once," Last says, noting the crossword's surface appeal (dad jokes, puns, pop-culture references) and its deeper linguistic and political ramifications. He cites various incidents--even a few legal ones--predicated on crossword clues and content, and considers whether the crossword should be seen as reflecting culture or shaping it (or both).
Across the Universe is a linguistic treat for crossword devotees and anyone who loves a bit of witty wordplay. Last takes readers inside the world of tournaments, online competitions, and thoughtful debates about the form's future--never doubting that this puzzle, once dismissed as a momentary flash in the pan, is here to stay. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams
Shelf Talker: Natan Last's witty, erudite debut explores the history, politics, and cultural impact of the crossword puzzle.