March 12, 2025

In our recent era of the polycrisis, as we watched one institution after another falter, we could find a small measure of comfort in knowing that at least one corner of the universe held fast: The New York Times crossword was thriving under the steady hand of longtime editor Will Shortz. But then, in February 2024, Shortz had a stroke, and though he survived, he had to step back from the paper and the puzzling juggernaut (puzzling as a noun, not an adjective) he had built. Would the Times crosswords survive without him? And would he ever return as editor? Matthew Schneier has the answers to those questions and the inside story of how Shortz charmed the socks off the therapists at his rehab facility in Tarrytown.
—Christopher Cox, features editor, New York

By Matthew Schneier

Photo: Stefan Ruiz for New York Magazine

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