Google commemorates a century of puzzle-fueled procrastination with a playable doodle of its own. December 20, 2013 2:55 PM PST Google has transformed its home page into a playable doodle in honor of 100 years of crosswords. (Credit: Screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET) For a century, the crossword puzzle has been giving brainy types a socially acceptable way to waste half a morning (and the entire day on Sundays in the case of the New York Times puzzle). Google is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the famous puzzle with a doodle that transforms its search page into a puzzle itself with a nod to the granddaddy of all daily word games and its inventor, British-born Arthur Wynne. Wynne created the first puzzle in 1913 for the New York World, which he initially called a word-cross puzzle. Within weeks the name was changed to crossword and the rest is history. Google's tribute puzzle hides the first word (across) of the first crossword ever a dozen times in different arrangements within its boxes. The doodle team brought in professional crossword constructor Merl Reagle to create a puzzle that would have broad appeal, according to a report by Slate, which spoke with the doodlers about the project. For the most part, it's mission accomplished, with some very wide-ranging (and surprisingly old-timey) clues and only one self-referential Google hint. Oh, and the clue that reads "Amazon shocker" has nothing to do with that Amazon or drone delivery. Happy puzzling!
Google commemorates a century of puzzle-fueled procrastination with a playable doodle of its own.
Google has transformed its home page into a playable doodle in honor of 100 years of crosswords.
(Credit: Screenshot by Eric Mack/CNET)
For a century, the crossword puzzle has been giving brainy types a socially acceptable way to waste half a morning (and the entire day on Sundays in the case of the New York Times puzzle). Google is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the famous puzzle with a doodle that transforms its search page into a puzzle itself with a nod to the granddaddy of all daily word games and its inventor, British-born Arthur Wynne.
Wynne created the first puzzle in 1913 for the New York World, which he initially called a word-cross puzzle. Within weeks the name was changed to crossword and the rest is history.
Google's tribute puzzle hides the first word (across) of the first crossword ever a dozen times in different arrangements within its boxes.
The doodle team brought in professional crossword constructor Merl Reagle to create a puzzle that would have broad appeal, according to a report by Slate, which spoke with the doodlers about the project.
For the most part, it's mission accomplished, with some very wide-ranging (and surprisingly old-timey) clues and only one self-referential Google hint. Oh, and the clue that reads "Amazon shocker" has nothing to do with that Amazon or drone delivery. Happy puzzling!
