Will Shortz is the only person in the world to hold a degree in Enigmatology, the study of puzzles, and is the subject of the 2006 documentary film Wordplay.

Shortz has written and edited more than 150 books, and he founded the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in 1978. He owns approximately 20,000 puzzle books and magazines dating back to 1545.

To be a good crossword solver, you have to be a well-rounded person, basically. You’ve got to know classical subjects, and then you’ve got to know modern subjects. You have to have a flexible mind, and it helps to have a sense of humor.

— Will Shortz

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