On December 21, 1913, The New York World published a puzzle called “Word-Cross,” created by editor Arthur Wynne. He designed it as a mental exercise to engage readers and perhaps distract them from grim headlines before World War I. A type-setting error later changed the name from “Word-Cross” to “crossword.” The puzzle became a national and international craze, and The World is recognized as the first newspaper to publish one.
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