Will Shortz

Across and Down follows a group of passionate crossword connoisseurs (aka “cruciverbalists”) as they fight to improve representation in their cherished puzzle. Crossword puzzles have been ubiquitous for over 100 years. You can find them in magazines and newspapers; they’re online and available through their own apps. In fact, millions of people start their day by solving. But despite the widespread appeal of the crossword, women, people of color and LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals have been almost invisible when it comes to puzzle bylines, clues and solutions. Not only that, but clues can also often be stuck in the past or worse, offensive. But why is this happening?

Tess gets invited to be a part of a popular game show, but when the host is unexpectedly murdered, she and Detective Logan O'Connor seek to uncover who was behind it all.

The Palindromists is a documentary delving into the world of palindromes- those peculiar words and phrases that read the same backwards and forwards. Explore palindromes in history and meet the world's greatest palindromists as they see everything backwards preparing for the World Palindrome Championship. The competition is hosted by Will Shortz during The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, where the palindromists will be judged by the smartest wordplay fans in the country. Once they have spent day and night crafting the perfect 'dromes, they will present them to the eager audience and a new World Palindrome Champion will be crowned.

After volunteering to participate in a crossword solving competition with a new supercomputer, crossword puzzle editor Tess Harper finds herself swept into the investigation of the bizarre murder of a tech CEO

Ten years ago, Tetsuya Miyamoto had a dream to change the world through puzzles. In his classroom in Yokohama, KenKen was born. Enter a world where puzzles matter. From Tokyo to New York, from the classroom to the puzzle page to the tournament floor, Miyamoto and the Machine takes you into the brain of the inventor and the players, all while the machines of business and technology crash into artistry and humanity. Miyamoto believes each handcrafted puzzle tells a story, and if you look hard enough between the rows, columns, and cages of KenKen, you can find the story of the sensei who started a global phenomenon.

During her birthday celebration, Tess and Logan find themselves swept up in a world that isn't always what it seems when the headlining magician at the Magic Manor winds up dead.

During her birthday celebration, Tess and Logan find themselves swept up in a world that isn't always what it seems when the headlining magician at the Magic Manor winds up dead.

When an old friend of New York Sentinel Crosswords editor Tess Harper is found murdered on the very day her puzzle includes his proposal of marriage, Tess unofficially teams up with Detective Logan O’Connor to find the killer.

When an old friend of New York Sentinel Crosswords editor Tess Harper is found murdered on the very day her puzzle includes his proposal of marriage, Tess unofficially teams up with Detective Logan O’Connor to find the killer.

When an old friend of New York Sentinel Crosswords editor Tess Harper is found murdered on the very day her puzzle includes his proposal of marriage, Tess unofficially teams up with Detective Logan O’Connor to find the killer.

A crossword puzzle editor finds her life completely disrupted when several of the clues in her recent puzzles are linked to unsolved crimes, and she is pulled into the police investigation.

A crossword puzzle editor finds her life completely disrupted when several of the clues in her recent puzzles are linked to unsolved crimes, and she is pulled into the police investigation.

A crossword puzzle editor finds her life completely disrupted when several of the clues in her recent puzzles are linked to unsolved crimes, and she is pulled into the police investigation.

Will Shortz (editor of the New York Times crossword puzzle) tests his own limits of commitment, and his brains ability to be fully activated, by pledging to play ping pong every day for a year.

Australia's first national sudoku team The Numbats - four ex-rugby mates - travel into the unknown of competitive puzzling as they enter the World Sudoku Championships in Goa, India.

From the masters who create the mind-bending diversions to the tense competition at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, Patrick Creadon's documentary reveals a fascinating look at a decidedly addictive pastime. Creadon captures New York Times editor Will Shortz at work, talks to celebrity solvers -- including Bill Clinton and Ken Burns -- and presents an intimate look at the national tournament and its competitors.