In The Atlantic, Natan Last, crossword constructor, writes about “The Hidden Bigotry of Crosswords.” An excerpt:
That crossword mainstays such as The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal are largely written, edited, fact-checked, and test-solved by older white men dictates what makes it into the 15x15 grid and what’s kept out.
comments: 3
I'm completely addicted to the Times crosswords, but I do wince at some of the clues and answers sometimes. I get a lot of enjoyment out of reading Rex Parker's daily critique of the puzzle, even when I think "Rex" is being a bit unfair. I think it's time to resurrect the National Recovery Act or find some other alternative to that organization that gets too much attention as it is.
I'm taking a break from the current crosswords for now because we've suspended home delivery and I don't really enjoy doing them online. Luckily I have some xeroxed duplicates of old puzzles. One of the few good things about getting old is that after a couple of months I've forgotten all of the answers and they're new puzzles again.
I read Rex too, and when there’s anything that’s made me cringe (like VERANDAED in a recent puzzle), Rex is usually cringing too. I think he sometimes judges too harshly when he isn’t familiar with a word or name. I’m not a Shortz fan — his sense of what’s apt, cute, funny, clever just isn’t mine. So I solve in syndication, six weeks behind. I’ve tried USA Today (I like Erik Agard’s puzzles), but the online version is cumbersome. I might try again.
If I hadn’t already dropped my Times puzzle subscription, the recent puzzle with the clue “Al who famously drove a white Ford Bronco” would have been a last straw. That would Al Cowlings, O.J. Simpson’s driver.
That would be, &c.
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