Invented practically by accident in 1913 when a newspaper editor at the New York World was casting around for something to fill empty column space, crossword puzzles became a commercial success almost overnight. Writing eloquently of this obsession, Adrienne Raphel profiles New York Times maestro Will Shortz, discusses the mania for creating crosswords, and assessing the pastime in the context of race, gender, digital technology, Alzheimer's disease prevention, and World War II.