Observed annually on December 21st, Crossword Puzzle Day is a holiday that celebrates a word game that is enjoyed by millions of people all over the globe. The first crossword puzzle published was created in 1913 by a journalist named Arthur Wynne. It appeared on December 21, 1913, in the Sunday newspaper, the New York World.

Of course, this early crossword puzzle and some of the other ones he printed, didn’t look like modern puzzles. They were diamond-shaped and didn’t contain internal black squares. These puzzles would eventually evolve over time, however, and would become one of the most popular word games on the planet.

Fun Crossword Puzzle Facts

Let’s go over some of the fun crossword puzzle facts we came across while doing the research for this holiday. We think the following facts about crossword puzzles will show everyone just how much these puzzles are.

• Crossword puzzles help stave of the severity of symptoms associated with Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.
• The New York World was the only paper to print crossword puzzles for about a decade.
• A Cruciverbalist is someone who is skilled at solving crossword puzzles.
• Crossword puzzles were originally known as word-cross puzzles.
• The first New York Times crossword puzzle came out in 1942.
• The first crossword puzzle book was published in 1924.
• During WWII in Paris, crossword puzzles were banned because they could be used for secret messages.

Observing Crossword Puzzle Day

One of the simplest ways to celebrate this holiday is by sitting down with a crossword puzzle and taking the time to solve it. This can be a puzzle taken directly out of a newspaper or out of one of those crossword puzzle books that can be found in grocery store checkout isles.

Of course, that’s the most basic way to celebrate this holiday. There are also a variety of other ways to observe this day. A person can challenge someone else to a crossword puzzle race, try completing a puzzle that’s in a different language than your native tongue, or by them creating their own crossword puzzles.