A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Wordplay

Date Viewed: 7/2/06

Details:

Will Shortz

Merl Reagle

Neal Conan

Liane Hansen

Ken Burns

Bill Clinton

Bob Dole

Mike Mussina

Jon Stewart

Jon Delfin

Tyler Hinman

Al Sanders

Written and directed by: Patrick Creadon

Score: Peter Golub & Vic Fleming

Score: +1/2

The Review: Excellent, funny and fun view of the crossword puzzle galaxy.

Let's see: a documentary about crossword puzzles and puzzle solvers -- sitting around watching paint dry..., err, people doing puzzles -- really boring, huh? Not on your life, or for a minute! This film grabs your attention and holds it to the end, plus, if you happen to be an NPR Sunday Weekend Edition radio puzzle fan, then the more the merrier.

There are several threads woven into this documentary. The (fragmented) warp is a collection of interviews with puzzle makers -- Will Shortz of the New York Times, and Merl Reagle, among the best known -- and puzzle fans (addicts, more likely) in all shapes, sizes, and walks of life. As the movie proceeds, it becomes clear that these fall into two categories: celebrities, on the one hand, and on the other, likely contestants in a contest. The celebrities include Bill Clinton, Ken Burns, Jon Stewart and Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina (well, it is focused on the NY Times). Part of the weft is watching as Merl Reagle creates a puzzle by commission of the documentary crew -- it's theme is "word play," and the puzzle grows in front of our eyes, along with tidbits of puzzle construction (symmetry and size). This thread continues intercut as the puzzle itself is published in the Times, and we see the same celebrities interviewed earlier attacking and commenting upon the puzzle on the day of its release. This is a way cool idea! Additional weft threads include some background history of the puzzle community and Will's predecessor at the post at the Times. And then there's the world crossword puzzle championship of 2005 (traditionally held in Stamford, Connecticut), to which many of the interviewees are led, and its nail-biting finish -- a treat the documentary makers could not have predicted. All in all, this is a very well-constructed film with much to hold interest and little time to be bored.

I have a few personal connections to the material of this documentary that made it all the more interesting, so full disclosure seems reasonable. First, one of the puzzle solvers and contestants profiled was an RPI undergrad -- my alma mater, so I'm proud to claim a connection. (Imagine: first, a week or two of coverage in Doonesbury as the "college of choice," then one of the starting roles in a documentary -- not a bad place to be associated with!) And for the years of my second postdoc, I was an ardent crossword puzzle fan -- it was an entertaining collaboration for the whole lab, and it was (of course) the NY Times puzzle.

The background score is also attractive, and occasionally fun ("...if you don't come across, I'll be down").

(2-Jul-06)

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