Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can’t Live Without Them

Investigating the crossword from all sides is poet Raphel’s (What Was It For) stated goal, and she means it, giving depth to a two-dimensional puzzle. Covering the basic history, cultural context, and ongoing evolution of the crossword, the author explains the construction of a puzzle and what makes it work. While John Halpern’s The History of the Crossword covers similar ground (albeit from a British perspective), Raphel takes a more holistic approach. This examination results in surprisingly lively material, studying the cultures of the puzzlers and the puzzle constructors alike. The book as a whole is fascinating, but Raphel is particularly good at shifting viewpoints. More offbeat chapters, such as “This Is Not a Crossword,” looking at the intersection between surrealism and crosswords, fairly sing. (The ending material, about a crossword cruise, loses some steam, but this is a minor quibble.)