In December, 1913, one of the editors at the New York World newspapaper created a form of intellectual entertainment which proved so popular that it can be found in every newspaper still today. What was it?

On December 21, 1913, readers of the New York World's "Fun" section discovered a new challenge created by editor Arthur Wynne. This novel pastime, which he called a "Word-Cross," was the forerunner of the modern crossword puzzle. Wynne, a British journalist who had immigrated to the United States, designed a diamond-shaped grid and provided a list of clues for words that needed to be filled in. Unlike the puzzles we know today, this first version did not contain any of the familiar black squares.

The "Word-Cross" proved to be an immediate success with the newspaper's audience, and it quickly became a weekly feature. A typesetter's error later transposed the name to "Cross-Word," which stuck. The popularity of the puzzle soared throughout the 1920s, with other newspapers beginning to feature their own versions. Within a decade, these puzzles were a common feature in American newspapers, captivating a nation of solvers.

Interestingly, not everyone was a fan at first. The New York Times initially dismissed the new craze, once calling the puzzles a "sinful waste." However, the paper eventually relented during World War II, recognizing the puzzle's value as a welcome distraction from the grim news of the era. The crossword had solidified its place in popular culture, evolving from a simple holiday feature into the beloved daily intellectual entertainment it remains today.