Crossword Puzzle Enthusiasts

There is a segment of our population that does not receive nearly the applause it deserves. In many ways they are unsung and that is a shame. They are passionate, dedicated, smart and fearless - all qualities I aspire to possess one day. They are crossword puzzle enthusiasts. Most of us, when we come across a crossword puzzle in a newspaper or magaine, quickly skip to the next page either without thought or, perhaps for a fleeting moment, a little fear at how intimidating this collection of numbered squares is. Yet these men and women of all ages do the opposite. They pick up a pencil or, in some cases, a pen and dare to step across the line in the sand the puzzles represent.

That is very impressive. Crossword puzzle enthusiasts are wordsmiths. They know of words most of us do not even know exist. For instance, ever hear of the word "ucalegon?" I haven't. Yet a good crossword puzzle enthusiast has. In fact, they even know what it means and can use it in a sentence. (In case you are wondering, ucalegon refers to "a neighbor whose house in on fire.") The only reason I know it is because I read it in a recent interview given by Will Shortz, crossword editor of The New York Times. My point is this is the world in which these people dwell and I, for one, beleve it to be one that is good.

Communication, of course, is all about words. Words, spoken or written, help us connect and stay connected with others. The more we have in our arsenal the better the odds are we will be successful at creating ties that bind. This is no small thing, especially when one supposedly does it for a living. Communicators are vital to our society. In such a world, crossword puzzle enthisiasts are our last line of defense. Ever since the first crossword puzzle made its debut in December, 1913, the brave lot of enthusiasts have been doing all they can to help keep the rest of us afloat. More power to them. The rest of us would be doing well to join their ranks.