Will Shortz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Will Shortz
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Shortz in March 2023
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William F. Shortz
August 26, 1952 Crawfordsville, Indiana, U.S.
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| Other names | The Puzzlemaster |
| Education | Indiana University Bloomington (B.A.) University of Virginia (J.D.) |
| Occupation | Crossword editor Table tennis center owner |
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Notable credit(s)
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New York Times puzzle editor (since 1993), NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday puzzlemaster (since 1987) |
William F. Shortz, born on August 26, 1952, is a famous American puzzle maker and editor. He is best known as the crossword editor for The New York Times newspaper. He even created his own college major called enigmatology, which is the study of puzzles! Before joining The New York Times in 1993, he worked for other puzzle magazines. Will Shortz also started the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, which is the biggest and oldest crossword competition in the United States.
Contents
Will Shortz: The Puzzle Master
Will Shortz has spent his life surrounded by puzzles. He grew up on a horse farm in Crawfordsville, Indiana. From a young age, he loved solving and creating puzzles. When he was just 13, he wrote to a famous puzzle author for advice. By age 16, he was already making crossword puzzles for magazines!
His Unique Education
Will Shortz went to Indiana University. There, he did something very special. He designed his own college major! He called it enigmatology, which means the study of puzzles. He is the only person known to have a college degree in this field. His main project was writing about the history of word puzzles in America.
He also earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. However, he decided to follow his passion for puzzles instead of becoming a lawyer.
A Huge Puzzle Collection
Will Shortz is a big collector! He owns more than 20,000 puzzle books and magazines. Some of these go all the way back to 1545. This is thought to be the largest private collection of puzzle materials in the world. He has also written or edited over 100 puzzle books himself. He is a member and historian of the National Puzzlers' League.
His Amazing Career
Will Shortz started his career working for Penny Press Magazines. Then, he spent 15 years at Games magazine. He was even the editor of Games for a while.
The New York Times Crossword
In 1993, Will Shortz became the crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times. This is a very important job in the puzzle world. He was only the fourth person to hold this position in the newspaper's history.
Puzzlemaster on NPR
Since 1987, Will Shortz has been the "puzzlemaster" on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday. Every week, he hosts the "Sunday Puzzle." This is a fun game where the show's host and a listener work together to solve a puzzle. Listeners get picked if they correctly answer a special puzzle from the week before.
Starting Puzzle Tournaments
Will Shortz loves to bring people together through puzzles. In 1978, he founded the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. This event is the oldest and largest crossword competition in the country. He has been its director ever since it started. He also helped create the World Puzzle Championship in 1992. He helps lead the U.S. Puzzle Team too.
Favorite Puzzles and Clues
Will Shortz has a favorite crossword puzzle. It was from Election Day in 1996. This puzzle was amazing because it had two correct answers for the same clues! One answer said "BOB DOLE ELECTED" and the other said "CLINTON ELECTED." His favorite single clue is "It might turn into a different story." The answer to that clue is SPIRAL STAIRCASE.
Beyond Puzzles: Table Tennis
Besides his puzzle work, Will Shortz is also a very good table tennis player. He has played table tennis every day for many years! Since 2009, he has co-owned the Westchester Table Tennis Center in Pleasantville, New York. He even displays awards from his childhood at the center. This shows how dedicated he is to both puzzles and table tennis.
Honors and Awards
Will Shortz has received many honors for his work.
- In 2008 and 2018, he gave the commencement speech at his old university, Indiana University. He often includes brainteasers in his speeches!
- In 2010, he received an honorary degree from Wabash College.
- In 2012, he won the Sam Loyd Award. This award is given for making mechanical puzzles more popular.
- In 2016, he gave a commencement speech at the University of Virginia Law School.
Personal Life
Will Shortz lives in Pleasantville, New York. He enjoys working from his home there. In his free time, he likes biking, reading, and traveling. He also continues to collect old puzzle books.
