Will Shortz
NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz has appeared on Weekend Edition Sunday since the program's start in 1987. He's also the crossword editor of The New York Times, the former editor of Games magazine, and the founder and director of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (since 1978).
Will sold his first puzzle professionally when he was 14 — to Venture, a denominational youth magazine. At 16 he became a regular contributor to Dell puzzle publications. He is the only person in the world to hold a college degree in Enigmatology, the study of puzzles, which he earned from Indiana University in 1974.
Born in 1952 and raised on an Arabian horse farm in Indiana, Will now lives near New York City in a Tudor-style house filled with books and Arts and Crafts furniture. When he's not at work, he enjoys bicycling, movies, reading, travel, and collecting antique puzzle books and magazines.
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NPR's Elissa Nadworny plays the puzzle with NPR Puzzle Master Will Shortz and listener Eric Feinstein from Ossining, New York. -
Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with NPR Puzzle Master Will Shortz and listener Chris Olig from Verona, Wisconsin. -
What proper names begin and end with the same two letters? NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with NPR Puzzle Master Will Shortz and listener Rick Tett from Plano, Texas. -
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with listener Alan Christensen of Shoreline, Wash. and puzzle master Will Shortz. -
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with listener Tom Moosebrugger of Columbus, Ohio and puzzle master Will Shortz. -
NPR's Rob Schmitz plays the puzzle with listener Chris Yates of Butte, Mont., and puzzlemaster Will Shortz. -
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with listener Jonathan Siegel {seagull} and puzzle master Will Shortz. -
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with listener Crystal VanArtsdalen and puzzle master Will Shortz. -
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with listener Xavier Smith and puzzle master Will Shortz. -
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with Jeff Wood of Madison, Wisconsin, and Weekend Edition puzzle master Will Shortz.
