”Will Shortz has probably done more to elevate public consciousness of puzzles than any other individual in history.”
For decades, the name Will Shortz has been synonymous with puzzles. Will Shortz is the crossword editor of The New York Times, the puzzle master on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday, and the only person in the world with a college degree in “enigmatology,” the study of puzzles.
A sudoku book presented by Will Shortz was my constant companion in pre-game Ponderosa for Survivor, and it inspired my most famous quote from the show—”Well Jeff, I’m good at Sudoku!” (You should check out the accompanying Bonus Aftershow on Patreon for the full story.) He has inspired David and me in our creative endeavors, like our new podcast PG’s Playhouse, and he has inspired many of our past guests too. We talk about how crosswords have evolved to reflect pop culture, the impact of mini puzzles, and why wordplay connects people in ways you might not expect.
Will Shortz was an absolute delight to interview, and as you can imagine, he was chock full of stories. I especially enjoyed hearing about how he landed a job at Games Magazine. Will also shares his philosophy on creating puzzles:
What I think I’m very good at is creating clues that are going to entertain people. I always think of the audience. I always think of who’s going to be solving. I like to push people to their limit. I want people to break through in the end and to be able to solve the puzzle because that’s where they get the satisfaction. That’s my goal.
His closing thoughts to us were “I want to make the world a little better for being here.” Will Shortz has certainly done so for all of us who love puzzles.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.
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By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected.
Access exclusive Patreon content such as:
- The Bonus Aftershow
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Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.
PG’s Playhouse Podcast
If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes.
Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.
Buzzshot
Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.
COGS
COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.
Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:
REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
- 00:03 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
- 03:37 Origin of the NPR Sunday Puzzle
- 06:13 The Evolution of Crossword Puzzles
- 15:17 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
- 18:28 The Digital Revolution in Puzzle Submissions
- 20:31 The Popularity of Mini Puzzles and Wordle
- 25:08 The Impact of Wordle on New York Times Games
- 25:53 Crossword Puzzles: Uniting Diverse Audiences
- 26:28 Innovations and Challenges in Crossword Puzzles
- 27:26 The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament
- 28:37 Strategies for Competitive Crossword Solving
- 30:24 Games Magazine: A Creative Hub for Puzzle Enthusiasts
- 33:51 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
- 35:29 Will’s Puzzle Book Collection
- 38:11 A Passion for Table Tennis
- 42:17 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
- 43:12 Escape Room Aspirations and Nature Park Plans
- 45:19 The Fascination with Cryptos and CIA Ciphers
- 46:32 The Magic of Puzzles and Immersive Games
- 48:49 Will Shortz: A Legacy in Puzzles
- 49:39 Personal Philosophy and Life Lessons
- 51:08 Still Gaining Joy from Puzzles
- 51:32 The National Puzzlers League and Conventions
- 53:59 What Comes Next
- 54:44 Connecting with Will Shortz
- 59:31 Bonus Story: The Ice Cube Clue
Leave a Voicemail
Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
- NPR Sunday Puzzle
- New York Times Games
- American Crossword Puzzle Tournament
- Westchester Table Tennis Club
- National Puzzlers’ League
- Wordplay: Documentary about Will Shortz and Crossword Tournaments
About Will Shortz
- Crossword editor, The New York Times (since 1993)
- Puzzle master, “Weekend Edition Sunday,” NPR (since 1987)
- Founder/ director, American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (since 1978)
- Program director, National Puzzler’s League annual convention (since 1976)
- Founder, World Puzzle Championship, 1992
- Chairman, World Puzzle Federation
- Author or editor of more than 750 books of puzzles
- Owner of more than 30,000 puzzle books and magazines dating back to 1533 — one of the world’s largest libraries on the subject
Support REPOD
- Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
- Please rate and review our podcast!
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