Stanley Newman

Spiral-bound collection of cryptic puzzles by Henry Hook, Rosalie Moscovitch, Fraser Simpson, David Ellis Dickerson, Emily Cox & Henry Rathvon, and more.

If I didn't like crossword puzzles, I would probably give this book only two or three stars. But for anyone who has struggled to find a four letter word ending in "ue" with the clue "a pout or grimace," this quick read book is FUN and gives helpful hints to solve any crossword puzzle. The author has very strong opinions about crossword constructors and editors and does not hesitate to share those opinions with the reader.

If you were asking for a book recommendation I wouldn’t mention this one even though it’s mildly entertaining. It’s a scattered thing that reads like several magazine articles, but there is some interesting information in there. It’s a bit about the crossword business, a bit about how to solve crosswords, and a lot about the author and their opinions.

It’s a quick read and worth it if you’re interested in crosswords, but I wouldn’t go out of my way.

This was kind of fun, but too short!
Did you know that former NYT Crossword Editor Eugene T. Maleska was EEVIL? He was.