PERSPECTIVE
The Outer Limits
Journeys to the farthest reaches of interactive entertainment
ALEX SPENCER
Until very recently, I’d never encountered the word ‘cruciverbalist’. But, having done the required etymological backwards-engineering to decipher its meaning, I think this word tells you a lot about the people to whom it refers. Of course we’re talking about crossword enthusiasts here. Who else would jigsaw-puzzle together a term out of Latin with this kind of glassespushed-to-the-bridge-of-the-nose smugness?
Alas, I must confess, the reason I came across this word in the first place is that I have recently joined their spectacle-nudging ranks, as a paid-up subscriber to both the NYT’s puzzle section and Puzzmo. While I dutifully chew through the daily selection each offers, really I’m here for one thing and one thing only: the undisputed king of the newspaper puzzle page, long may it reign.