2006, USA
Comedy, Documentary, Drama
Armed with a pen and a stop watch, the world’s best puzzlers have it out in stiff competition every year in Stamford, CT. First-time director Patrick Creadon (cinematographer of such greats as Maxim Hot 100 and Maxim the Real Swimsuit DVD Vol. 2) captures the drama and brainpower behind the scenes at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.
My grandma used to do crosswords with a pen. As someone who writes reviews with a thesaurus in close range, this mesmerized me. I enjoy the occasional crossword; I am slow and methodical and will usually become distracted as I stare blankly at the odd pun that just won’t click. I much prefer a more abstract or mathematical puzzle. And thus, there is no room for my kind at this competition.
These folks are quietly and nerdishly ferocious. Not only do they attack the shining beacon that is the New York Times crossword puzzle, but they do so with the clock ticking. As each character is introduced, they dive into a puzzle in an attempt to beat their best time -- usually under four minutes. To me, that sucks all the fun out of what makes crosswords so relaxing. But maybe I’m just saying that because my weak little brain doesn’t work that quickly.
The action behind this documentary really is fascinating. Considering the limitations of filming geniuses at work, Creadon does a great job of demonstrating a busy mind. The screen often splits into three sections, showing the puzzler, the clue being considered and the crossword puzzle with the section as it is being solved. Viewing all at the same time brilliantly demonstrates the working of these brains, and I can hardly fathom how they perform with such speed. In the time that I take to consider a clue, they have filled in an entire corner of the board.
The big man behind the black and white squares is Will Shortz, New York Times crossword puzzle editor and National Public Radio teaser. Though often credited as the evil mastermind, more often than not he does not create the puzzle, but rather tweaks submissions from various puzzle constructors. After choosing a puzzle, he may rewrite clues to make them more clever or difficult, depending on what day -- and thus what difficulty level -- the crossword will be printed.
There is an impressive skill to putting words together. Not only is there a symmetry and set of rules to be maintained, but a theme to which all of the words must follow. As experienced constructor Merl Reagle creates a puzzle for the film, it is boggling how quickly he throws words together and knows ahead of time whether a connected series of three letters will be able to build interconnecting words and phrases.
Creadon allows celebs to mix with the underground crossword world, and smarty showspeople such as Jon Stewart, the Indigo Girls and Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina show off their abilities. More importantly, they explain how working through words helps in their daily lives. As for the competing experts, their skills are unquestionable and though the tournament appears as a lighthearted meeting of the minds, watching the clock count down as they work away is nerve wracking. Creadon succeeds at turning what is often a quiet Sunday afternoon ritual into a riveting prime time battle of the brains.
Extras on the DVD include a commentary track with Creadon, Shortz and Reagle; deleted scenes of Shortz, the competition, and miscellany; extended interviews; interviews with five contributors about their favorite puzzle; the Sundance screening; the “Every Word” music video; 2006 Stamford results; the short film “Waiting for the New York Times;” a photo gallery; and DVD-ROM puzzles to print.