Clinton's NY Times crossword

Bill Clinton has compiled a crossword for the New York Times magazine. It's one of their more cryptic ones, appearing in the Sunday edition of the paper, which makes it a little more interesting than the average American crossword.


The puzzle of interlocking words was invented there around 80 years ago, but with rare exceptions, the Americans never got used to the kind of cryptic crossword so popular in England - except in occasional places, such as Harper's magazine, and most weeks in the Sunday NY Times.

British compilers - except those creating the popular quick crosswords, designed to be knocked off in a coffee break - would certainly turn their noses up at clues such as "Modernize" (REMODEL) and "Fall month" (OCT).

But Clinton has made his crossword slightly more beguiling by including many clues such as this: "Boomer's update of a 1962 Neil Sedaka hit". The baby boomers are now assumed to be old, so it's quite easy to work out that the answers are all punning re-writes of old song titles, turned into titles about ageing - in this case WAKING UP IS HARD TO DO.

The theme of the puzzle is "Twistin' the Oldies," with clues seeking updated versions for baby boomers of musical hits by artists such as
Neil Sedaka and
Carly Simon.

In an editor's note, Times' puzzle editor Will Shortz wrote: "The clues in this puzzle are a little more playful and involve more wordplay than in a typical crossword. You have been warned."

Shortz told Reuters the Times gave Clinton the puzzle grid and the theme, and the former president provided the clues. Shortz said he did very little editing.

"I wanted it to be Clinton's voice, not my voice," Shortz said. "I touched up a few things here and there, but basically what
President Clinton wrote for the clues is what appears in the puzzle.

"His clues make you laugh out loud," he added. "He's got a flair for this."

Answers will be posted the weekend of May 11, the Times said.

You can do the crossword HERE (needs Java)