Will Shortz
NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz has appeared on Weekend Edition Sunday since the program's start in 1987. He's also the crossword editor of The New York Times, the former editor of Games magazine, and the founder and director of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (since 1978).
Will sold his first puzzle professionally when he was 14 — to Venture, a denominational youth magazine. At 16 he became a regular contributor to Dell puzzle publications. He is the only person in the world to hold a college degree in Enigmatology, the study of puzzles, which he earned from Indiana University in 1974.
Born in 1952 and raised on an Arabian horse farm in Indiana, Will now lives near New York City in a Tudor-style house filled with books and Arts and Crafts furniture. When he's not at work, he enjoys bicycling, movies, reading, travel, and collecting antique puzzle books and magazines.
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Amy Vames of Highland Park, N.J., plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Leila Fadel.
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Chris Towles of Pfafftown, N.C., plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
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Dick Ehrman of Lincoln, Neb. plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
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NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro and puzzle master Will Shortz play the puzzle this week with Roger Wesby of Staten Island, N.Y.
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Listener Molly Shuya plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
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Listener Molly Moss of Shutesbury, Mass., plays the puzzle with puzzle master Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
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Listener Kathleen McAuliffe plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Sarah McCammon.
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Noah Goldstein of Chicago, Ill., plays the puzzle with puzzle master Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
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Listener Dan Franzen plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
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Listener Dustin Dickerson plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.