ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Newspaper editor Arthur Wynne, born in England and working at the New York World, wanted a new diversion for the paper's FUN section during the holiday season. He adapted diamond-shaped word puzzles popular in Victorian England into a numbered grid with clues.
What happened
The World's first crossword appeared on December 21, 1913, titled 'Word-Cross,' with 32 words and simple definitions such as 'What bargain hunters enjoy' (SALES). Readers renamed it 'crossword' after a typographical error, and demand pushed Wynne to publish more.
Why it still matters
Crosswords became a daily staple of American and British papers, spawning tournaments, cryptic variants, and mobile apps. Memorable detail: the 1913 puzzle had no black-square symmetry rules; modern constructors follow far stricter grids, yet Wynne's invention still defines the genre.
Background
Newspapers later ran puzzle pages daily.