Wordplay: A Puzzle Piece of Pure Delight
Imagine a world where the most thrilling competition involves… words. Yes, folks, Wordplay takes us deep into the labyrinthine world of crossword puzzles, where the stakes are as high as a crossword enthusiast’s blood pressure during the final minutes of a national tournament. Directed by Patrick Creadon, this documentary is a love letter to a pastime that, let’s be honest, is probably the only thing keeping a significant portion of the population from becoming complete hermits.
Our guide through this wordy wonderland is Will Shortz, the editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle. With a name that sounds like a superhero in a world of wordplay, Shortz is the ultimate crossword aficionado. He’s the man who decides which words are worthy of making the cut, and spoiler alert: “selfie” is definitely not one of them. As we follow him around, we learn that his office is essentially a shrine to letters and riddles, where the only thing more sacred than the crossword is the sanctity of the clues.
But it’s not just Shortz who steals the show. The documentary introduces us to a motley crew of celebrity solvers, including former President Bill Clinton and filmmaker Ken Burns. Clinton, clearly a fan of puzzles, solves them like he used to solve diplomatic crises: with a lot of thought and a smirk. Meanwhile, Burns is more like that brilliant uncle who can recite the entire history of the crossword puzzle while simultaneously solving one in record time. It’s both impressive and mildly infuriating.
As we dive deeper into the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, we witness the intense focus of competitors who treat each square like it’s the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. The tension is palpable. You can practically hear the mental gears grinding as they wrestle with clues that seem more cryptic than a Da Vinci painting. Spoiler: at one point, someone actually has to decipher “a four-letter word for a mythical creature.” I’ll let you guess what it is, but if you said “elf,” you’re either a genius or have seen this film before.
The competition culminates in a nail-biting finale where the best of the best go head-to-head. It’s like the Super Bowl of puzzles, except instead of touchdowns, we get triumphant “aha!” moments. As the clock ticks down, you can almost hear the collective heartbeat of the audience, which is primarily composed of people who probably haven’t seen the sun in days.
In the end, Wordplay isn’t just about solving puzzles; it’s a celebration of the human spirit and our insatiable need to connect through language. It’s a reminder that, while we may not all be crossword champions, we can still appreciate the beauty in a well-crafted clue. So, grab your pencil, try not to get too attached to your eraser, and dive into this delightful documentary. Just remember: in the world of crosswords, there are no mistakes—only happy accidents waiting to be solved.