Roving Reporter: Crossword Puzzle Tournament

This week, Roving Reporter got wordy at the Boston/Harvard Crossword Puzzle Tournament. We talked about favorite clues, closet nerds, and using crosswords to pick up girls. I also had the opportunity to hang out with one of my idols, The New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz—for 39 whole minutes. But, hey, who’s counting?



Will Shortz, Editor of The New York Times Crossword



Roving Reporter (RR): Mr. Shortz, it’s an honor to meet you. So, what’s your favorite crossword clue of all time?

Will Shortz (WS): The answer was “spiral staircase.” The clue was “it may turn into a different story.”

RR: I like it! So, I know you are responsible for editing the Sunday New York Times crossword, but how long do you think it would take you to complete it?

WS: Around 25 to 30 minutes for one I didn’t edit.

RR: That’s awesome. It took my roommates and me three days to do one once. It was a highlight of my life.

WS: That’s excellent. Do you remember which one it was?

RR: Of course! It was called “Web Master” and the letters formed a line of “I”s down the middle to create a spider’s web.

WS: Oh yes, I remember that one.



Robert P. Ciofani ’09, Secretary of The Harvard Crossword Society



Roving Reporter (RR): What’s your favorite crossword clue of all time?

Robert P. Ciofani (RPC): My roommate Kyle Mahowald is the person you really want to talk to. He interned with Will Shortz a few summers ago. I liked the theme of one of his puzzles. It was “Not ‘ie’ but ‘e’” so he took words with “ie” in them and replaced that with “e.” For example, Kansas City Chiefs became Kansas City Chefs.

RR: Very punny.



Nathaniel S. Rakich ’10, Treasurer of Harvard College Crossword Society



Roving Reporter (RR): What’s your favorite crossword clue of all time?

Nathaniel S. Rakich (NSR): The clue was “enraged and angered.” Answer? “Anagrams.”

RR: How did you get involved with the Harvard Crossword Society?

NSR: I was the top undergraduate scorer in this tournament two years ago. That’s how I broke out onto the scene.

RR: And you’re going to be the President of the society next year? Congratulations! How many members do you have?

NSR: (Pause) Right now?

RR: Yes…

NSR: Three.

RR: Oh. Okay. Well, have you ever used crossword puzzles to pick up girls?

NSR: No.

RR: Would you?

NSR: Yes, if you could present me with concrete evidence that it would work.

RR: I’d bet you’d make a great boyfriend. You’re good at reading between the lines.



Elizabeth Rehfeld



Roving Reporter (RR): What’s your favorite crossword clue of all time?

Elizabeth Rehfeld (ER): Oh golly! That’s a hard one. Probably one from my puzzle which was published in The New York Times in 2007. (Looks over her puzzle, which she has just had signed by Will Shortz). The clue is “Beachgoer wearing bug spray” and the answer is “Off on a tan gent.” The theme was splitting up words unexpectedly.

RR: That’s a good one. So, what was it like to meet Will Shortz today?

ER: Oh golly! So nice to meet him. Golly, he’s God!



Douglas I. Goodman ’97, Winner of the Boston/Harvard Crossword Tournament



Roving Reporter (RR): Congratulations on winning. So, tell me, what’s your favorite crossword clue of all time?

Douglas I. Goodman (DIG): Can I tell you my least favorite? It was at a tournament in Brooklyn, my debut onto the crossword scene and the clue asked for the word at the end of a love letter, except love letter was in French. I put ‘solo’ but the answer was ‘xoxo.’ I just missed qualifying to the finals.

RR: Not that you’re bitter about it or anything.

DIG: No, but my wife was. That’s why I came here. This is only my second tournament.

RR: Impressive! Wow, how long does it take you to do a Sunday New York Times Crossword?

DIG: It depends on if I pick up the theme quickly, but around 10 to 15 minutes.

RR: Would you call yourself a cruciverbalist [a constructor or solver of crossword puzzles]?

DIG: Yes, but only around people who do crosswords. I’ve never used it as a pick-up line.



Kyle A. Mahowald ’09, Secretary of The Harvard Crossword Society



Roving Reporter (RR): This was a great event. So, Kyle, what’s your favorite crossword clue of all time?

Kyle A. Mahowald (KAM): One of my favorite clues of all time is “Ball Field?” and the answer is “Situational Comedy.”

RR: That’s hilarious! Ummm….actually…I don’t really get it.

KAM: Like Lucille Ball?

RR: Ohhh! I know you interned for Will Shortz in the past. How many puzzles have you had published in The Times?

KAM: Around 12 or 13.

RR: That’s crazy. Kyle, would you call yourself a “cruciver-baller?”

KAM: (Laughs) Sure.