Crossword Collection

Solution to the first crossword puzzle, from the fun supplement of the Sunday edition of the New York World
CROSSWORD PUZZLE, 1913. Solution to the first crossword puzzle, from the fun supplement of the Sunday edition of the New York World, 21 December 1913

A Picture WITH Words by Chloe Preston
A studious looking little girl with spectacles balanced on her nose, sits among dictionaries as she works on countless crosswords

The Crossword Craze / 1920
A dashing couple display the growing crossword craze with their checked attire and similarly squared-off small dog!

Doing the Crossword / 1925
The thinker, ponders a crossword clue

The Last Word by William Heath Robinson
A motorcyclist, engrossed in a crossword, fails to notice that he is driving over the edge of a cliff just as he discovers the right answer to one of the clues

The passion for crossword riddles (colour litho)
2777623 The passion for crossword riddles (colour litho) by Beltrame, Achille (1871-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: The passion for crossword riddles)

Crossword by Lamplight
Three children do a crossword by lamp light

Caricature illustration of man smoking, struggling with crossword under lamp, with Russian-English dictionary. Captioned, Cross Purposes'

Newspaper, L Action Francaise - to understand events Date: 1938

A Victorian birthday puzzle card of a crossword, c. 1880 (colour litho)
3605331 A Victorian birthday puzzle card of a crossword, c.1880 (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; Photo eDavid Pearson; English, out of copyright

Crossword puzzle on a birthday card - solved. (2 of 2) Date: circa 1890s

Frederick Alexander
DR. FREDERICK WILLIAM ALEXANDER, OBE. Depicted making anagrams & crossword puzzles in Braille for the blind, with the aid of an ordinary washing mangle

Man and two children doing the crossword on a train. Date: circa 1960s

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT, 1913. Front page of the fun supplement for the Sunday edition of the New York World, 21 December 1913, which contained the first crossword puzzle

Page from the fun supplement of the Sunday edition of the New York World, 21 December 1913
CROSSWORD PUZZLE, 1913. Page from the fun supplement of the Sunday edition of the New York World, 21 December 1913, featuring the first crossword puzzle (top)

Word-cross puzzle, the first crossword puzzle, from the fun supplement of the Sunday edition of the New York World
CROSSWORD PUZZLE, 1913. Word-cross puzzle, the first crossword puzzle, from the fun supplement of the Sunday edition of the New York World, 21 December 1913

Crossword Craze - Distracted housemaid
The Crossword Craze What Lizzie was late with the lunch! A housemaid gets totally distracted trying to finish her crossword and completely forgets to do her cleaning or prepare the midday meal

Travelling gipsy family inside their new home
A travelling gipsy family inside the bungalow where they have been rehoused, in Beare Green, Surrey. The girl nearest the camera is writing in a notebook

John Bull gets crossword fever
The mid-1920s crossword craze brings John Bull out in crossword fever as an epidemic of crossword puzzles hook the nation

And Never a Cross Word by Howard K. Elcock
A nonchalant young woman in crossword themed pyjamas leaves a hotel bathroom. She smokes a cigarette and swans off oblivious to the waiting queue of other hotel guests who have obviously been there

The Next Infliction - the Cross-Word Puzzle Illustrated by W
Heath Robinsons contribution to the crossword craze of 1925, an illustrated crossword puzzle with clues included under the picture

Worthington Crosswords advertisement
An advertisement for Worthington Ales at the time of the craze for crosswords showing an engrossed crossword puzzler bumping into people and causing chaos in his wake as he walks along

Squaring the Dance Circles by Reginald Higgins
A stylish 1920s couple are distracted from their dancing by an engrossing crossword puzzle, all the rage in 1925. The caption reads, " A word of five letters, beginning with C

Crossword Fever in USA
Crossword Puzzle Fever hits America - a proposal to erect huge crosswords at railway crossings to entertain travellers waiting for the train to pass

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"Unraveling the Enigma: The Evolution Puzzles" From its humble beginnings in 1913 with the solution to the first crossword puzzle, published in the New York World's fun supplement, to Chloe Preston's captivating "A Picture WITH Words, " crossword puzzles have captured our imagination for over a century. The 1920s witnessed the birth of a craze as people across America became obsessed with solving these mind-bending puzzles. In 1925, William Heath Robinson humorously depicted a man struggling under lamplight with his Russian-English dictionary, aptly titled "Cross Purposes. " Not limited to newspapers and magazines, crosswords found their way onto birthday cards and even French publications like L Action Francaise in 1938. Their popularity knew no bounds. Frederick Alexander's vibrant lithograph showcased our insatiable passion for crossword riddles while an exquisite Victorian birthday puzzle card from around 1880 revealed that this form of entertainment has stood the test of time. As we delve into each clue and meticulously fill in those squares, we embark on a journey of mental agility and linguistic prowess. Crossword puzzles challenge us to think outside the box and expand our vocabulary. Whether it be Lamplight or Caricature illustrations depicting individuals engrossed in their quest for answers or simply enjoying some leisurely brain exercise at home, crosswords have become an integral part of our lives. So next time you find yourself immersed in these puzzling grids, remember that you are continuing a tradition that dates back decades—a tradition where words intertwine harmoniously to create moments of triumph and satisfaction.