Talk:Will Shortz

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[edit] "Nom de plume" or "pseudonym"?

Should Shortz's use of "WILLz" be a nom de plume or pseudonym? There is a difference. IvanP 21:52, 15 August 2005 (UTC)

• In this case, the right answer is nom, which is probably short for nom de plume, because nom is the technical term that's been used by the National Puzzlers' League for many decades. I've replaced nom de plume with "nom" (in double quotes) so people will see that this usage is not standard. If the meaning isn't obvious to them from context, they can click on National Puzzlers' League, where nom is explained. Eric-Albert 20:06, 09 October 2005 (EST)

[edit] Is Will Shortz a cruciverbalist?

Technically? Yes, he's (probably) created some crossword puzzles in his life. Seriously? No. His fame in puzzle creation lies wholly outside the realm of crosswords. In the crossword field, he's known for his editing. In any case, "cruciverbalist" is a semi-joke term; professionals refer to themselves as "constructors." Eric-Albert 19:07, 9 April 2006 (UTC)

A cruciverablist, by definition, is not necessarily a constructor: it can include constructors, editors, or simply avid fans ("enthusiasts") of word puzzles. See the American Heritage Dictionary for reference [1]. Jkatzen 05:09, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Editor of Games

Shortz, according to Crossworld: One Man's Journey into America's Crossword Obsession by Marc Romano, has been editor of Games magazine since 1978. Is that book in error, or are we? Hopefully someone can either verify our date or else make the change? For once my school computer isn't blocked from editing, but I doubt it will be true for long....lousy vandalizing kids... Jwrosenzweig, editing as anon

• "Crossworld" is riddled with errors; I'd argue that it gets more wrong than it does right, so never rely on it for confirmation of a fact. Will has been a puzzle editor at Games since near the beginning, but he wasn't THE editor until the late 1980s (I'm too lazy to check exactly when, but I'd bet the article's 1989 date is right). Qaqaq 14:52, 29 November 2006 (UTC)