Wordplay (2006)

Director:

Patrick Creadon

Writers:

Patrick Creadon (writer)
Christine O'Malley (writer)

Release Date:

23 June 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

Discover a world that thinks inside the box

Plot:

An in-depth look at The New York Times' long-time crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz and his loyal fan base.

Plot Keywords:

Stamford Connecticut | Umbrella | Competition | Crossword Puzzle | New York Times

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Will Shortz	...	Himself
Merl Reagle	...	Himself
Tyler Hinman	...	Himself
Norman Payne	...	Himself (as Trip Payne)
Al Sanders	...	Himself
Ellen Ripstein	...	Herself
Jon Delfin	...	Himself
Jon Stewart	...	Himself
Ken Burns	...	Himself
Amy Ray	...	Herself
Emily Saliers	...	Herself
Daniel Okrent	...	Himself
Mike Mussina	...	Himself
Bob Dole	...	Himself
Bill Clinton	...	Himself (as William Jefferson Clinton)

Also Known As:

Word Play (USA) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some language and mild thematic elements.

Runtime:

USA:94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Grinder Productions

Quotes:

Merl Reagle: And there's word-choice rules. You can't use - usually - bodily functions in puzzles, you know. "Urine" would bail me out of a corner, I mean, a million times a year. Same with "enema." "Enema" - talk about great letters...

Movie Connections:

References Norma Rae (1979)

Soundtrack:

Every Word

Low-Key But Surprisingly Enthralling Look at a Most Unlikely Subject

I have half-heartedly tried the New York crossword puzzles on occasion but had no idea what a devout following they had until I watched this refreshing 2006 documentary. Structured a bit like 2002's "Spellbound", the entertaining film that builds toward the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee, first-time director Patrick Creadon uses the 2005 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament as his climactic event where a group of nimble-minded crossword solvers vie for the championship. However, Creadon wisely focuses much of the film's initial attention on Will Shortz, the crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times who has gained renown as NPR's Puzzle Master. At his post since 1993, he has dramatically transformed the puzzle from an often frustrating, intellectualized exercise full of obscure clues to a more broad-based challenge that embraced popular culture and word games.

The change has engendered a diverse number of celebrity fans, several interviewed here in entertaining snippets - a particularly caustic Jon Stewart, Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, the Indigo Girls, filmmaker Ken Burns in a somewhat zen-like state, a wry Bob Dole, and Creadon's biggest get, an ingratiating Bill Clinton who conquers his puzzle with surprising zeal. Once the film turns its attention toward the tournament, the personalities of the top contenders are highlighted with the makings of a classic showdown among three-time champion and professional puzzle-maker Trip Payne; Al Sanders, the middle-aged perennial also-ran who can never seem to rank above third; and prodigious twenty-year old Tyler Hinman, the potential usurper who could become the youngest champion ever. One of my favorites is Ellen Ripstein, an unassuming statistician who twirls a baton, but the true unsung hero of the piece has to be frequent Times puzzle creator Merl Reagle.

Delving into the crossword puzzles themselves, the most interesting extra with the 2006 DVD is a featurette called "Five Unforgettable Puzzles" about how the five of the most challenging Times puzzles were constructed as recounted by the creators themselves. Naturally, the puzzles are included in the accompanying booklet as well as the DVD-ROM for printing. The DVD also includes an amiable and insightful commentary track by Creadon, Shortz and Reagle, as well as a bevy of deleted scenes, including extended versions of the celebrity interviews. There is a twenty-minute short about the film's reception at the 2006 Sundance Festival, including a Q&A with the top contenders, as well as a music video. It's a robust package for a niche-oriented film but one that is more entertaining than it has any right to be.