A bit of history:

Crossword puzzles have a rich history that dates back to ancient word squares.

The first recognized crossword appeared on December 21, 1913, in the New York World newspaper. It was created by Arthur Wynne, a journalist who designed a diamond-shaped puzzle he called a “Word-Cross.” A printing error soon flipped the name—and “crossword” was born.

By the 1920s, crossword puzzles had become wildly popular, appearing in newspapers across the United States and Europe and spawning bestselling puzzle books. Over time, black squares, symmetry, and more refined clue styles were introduced, shaping the familiar format we know today.

The New York Times began publishing its crossword in 1942, eventually becoming the gold standard for quality and challenge.