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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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with WRVO listener Stephanie O'Neil, of Jamesville, New York, along with Weekend Edition Puzzle Master Will Shortz.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with WLRN listener Christopher Hoffman, of Wellington, Florida, along with Weekend Edition Puzzle Master Will Shortz.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with Weekend Edition puzzlemaster Will Shortz along with listener Cynthia Rose of Littleton, Colorado.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with Weekend Edition puzzle master, Will Shortz, and CPR listener Sam McDowell of Boulder, Colorado.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with Weekend Edition puzzle master Will Shortz and WFAE listener, Sarah Garber of Cornelius, North Carolina.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with Weekend Edition puzzle master Will Shortz and NEPM listener Alison Triebwasser of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts.
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NPR's Adrian Ma plays the puzzle with YPR listener Bill Hoffman of Helena, Montana, and Weekend Edition Puzzlemaster Will Shortz.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with special guest, 'Jeopardy!' host Ken Jennings.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with KPCC listener Jerry Tsai and Weekend Edition Puzzlemaster Will Shortz.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with listener Clive Jerram of Rockville, Md., and Weekend Edition Puzzlemaster Will Shortz.