Book Recommendation

‘Across the Universe’: Crossword Puzzles Are More Than a Game

Crossword contributor Natan Last explains why crosswords became a national pastime.
‘Across the Universe’: Crossword Puzzles Are More Than a Game
"Across the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle" by Natan Last is an intriguing look at crossword puzzles. Pantheon/Saam Aghevli
|Updated:
0:00
According to “Across the Universe,” a new release about the beloved crossword puzzle, we live in a time of “word game mania.”  During the COVID-19 lockdown, word puzzles became almost a new national pastime. According to author Natan Last, more than 36 million Americans regularly attempt to fill the distinctive black-and-white grid.
This longtime New Yorker crossword contributor has taken a deep dive into the history, longevity, and relevance of the popular activity. The crossword was invented by a British journalist and first appeared in a New York Sunday newspaper in 1913.
MJ Hanley-Goff
MJ Hanley-Goff
Author
MJ Hanley-Goff has written for Long Island’s daily paper, Newsday, the Times Herald-Record, Orange Magazine, and Hudson Valley magazine. She did a stint as editor for the Hudson Valley Parent magazine, and contributed stories to AAA’s Car & Travel, and Tri-County Woman. After completing a novel and a self-help book, she now offers writing workshops and book coaching to first time authors, and essay coaching to high school students.