People You Know

People You Know

Cutthroat competition, last-minute reversals, buzzer-beating wins.... No, it's not March Madness, it's the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament! On Friday, for the first time in history, the nation's biggest and oldest crossword competition kicks off in Brooklyn. Directed by New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz, the tournament is leaving its longtime home in Stamford, Connecticut, and setting up camp at the Marriott at Brooklyn Bridge in Downtown Brooklyn from February 29 to March 2. If you think a crossword competition is a snoozefest, then you've obviously never seen Wordplay, the 2006 documentary that explains why crosswords — and the puzzlers that resolve to solve them — are so fascinating. Famous people like Jon Stewart and Bill Clinton as well as crossword puzzle celebrities contribute interviews. Rent the movie, or better yet, stop by the Marriott and see for yourself what all the fuss is about.