{"id":183733,"date":"2025-10-07T10:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T14:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/?p=183733"},"modified":"2025-10-02T11:59:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T15:59:54","slug":"repod-s10e1-will-shortz-the-puzzle-master","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/2025\/10\/07\/repod-s10e1-will-shortz-the-puzzle-master\/","title":{"rendered":"REPOD S10E1: Will Shortz, The Puzzle Master"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe title=\"S10E1 - Will Shortz, The Puzzle Master\" allowtransparency=\"true\" height=\"150\" width=\"100%\" style=\"border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;\" scrolling=\"no\" data-name=\"pb-iframe-player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.podbean.com\/player-v2\/?i=52khm-1978e01-pb&#038;from=pb6admin&#038;share=1&#038;download=1&#038;rtl=0&#038;fonts=Tahoma&#038;skin=1b1b1b&#038;font-color=auto&#038;logo_link=episode_page&#038;btn-skin=60a0c8\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VQhXVrzU_VU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u200a&#8221;Will Shortz has probably done more to elevate public consciousness of puzzles than any other individual in history.&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For decades, the name Will Shortz has been synonymous with puzzles. Will Shortz is the crossword editor of <em>The New York Times<\/em>, the puzzle master on NPR\u2019s <em>Weekend Edition Sunday<\/em>, and the only person in the world with a college degree in \u201cenigmatology,\u201d the study of puzzles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-attachment-id=\"183704\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/hero-repod-s10e1-will-shortz\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1280,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Hero REPOD S10E1 Will Shortz\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz-1024x576.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"hero image for repod S10E1 featuring a middle aged man with salt and pepper hair, mustache, smiling, wearing a grey button down shirt, in front of empty crossword puzzle grid\" class=\"wp-image-183704\" srcset=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Hero-REPOD-S10E1-Will-Shortz.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A sudoku book presented by Will Shortz was my constant companion in pre-game Ponderosa for <em>Survivor<\/em>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/uReSr2qaBvM?si=mASDCalK0n6i2HTK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">it inspired my most famous quote from the show<\/a>\u2014&#8221;Well Jeff, I&#8217;m good at Sudoku!&#8221; (You should check out the accompanying Bonus Aftershow on Patreon for the full story.) He has inspired David and me in our creative endeavors, like our new podcast<a href=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/pgs-playhouse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> <em>PG&#8217;s Playhouse<\/em><\/a>, and he has inspired many of our past guests too. We talk about how crosswords have evolved to reflect pop culture, the impact of mini puzzles, and why wordplay connects people in ways you might not expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Will Shortz was an absolute delight to interview, and as you can imagine, he was chock full of stories. I especially enjoyed hearing about how he landed a job at Games Magazine.  Will also shares his philosophy on creating puzzles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u200aWhat I think I&#8217;m very good at is creating clues that are going to entertain people. I always think of the audience. I always think of who&#8217;s going to be solving. I like to push people to their limit. I want people to break through in the end and to be able to solve the puzzle because that&#8217;s where they get the satisfaction. That&#8217;s my goal.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200aHis closing thoughts to us were &#8220;I want to make the world a little better for being here.&#8221; Will Shortz has certainly done so for all of us who love puzzles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"thank-you-to-our-sponsors\">Thank You to Our Sponsors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG&#8217;s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full has-lightbox\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"799\" data-attachment-id=\"181964\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/rea-patreon-membership\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"800,799\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"REA-Patreon-Membership\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership.jpg\" alt=\"Text reads, &quot;REA Patreon Membership&quot; Image depicts Room Escape Artist's blue concentric puzzle logo with a pop art aesthetic.\" class=\"wp-image-181964\" srcset=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership.jpg 800w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership-768x767.jpg 768w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership-600x599.jpg 600w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/REA-Patreon-Membership-100x100.jpg?crop=1 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size has-custom-lineheight mb-0 pb-0 mt-0 pt-0\" id=\"morty-app\" style=\"line-height:1;font-size:51px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/c\/roomescapeartist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Love escape rooms as much as we do? At <em>Room Escape Artist<\/em>, we\u2019ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By becoming a Patreon supporter, you&#8217;re not just backing a blog \u2014 you&#8217;re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Access exclusive Patreon content such as:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li> The Bonus Aftershow<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Spoilers Club<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0 pb-0 mt-0 pt-0\">Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full has-lightbox\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2261\" height=\"2261\" data-attachment-id=\"183709\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/2026\/03\/10\/repod-season-10-key-moments-editors-choice-by-steve-ewing\/pgwhite\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite.png\" data-orig-size=\"2261,2261\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pgWhite\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-1024x1024.png\" src=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite.png\" alt=\"blue triangle on it's side with text reading &quot;PG's Playhouse&quot; on orange background\" class=\"wp-image-183709\" srcset=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite.png 2261w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-2048x2048.png 2048w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-600x600.png?crop=1 600w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pgWhite-100x100.png?crop=1 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2261px) 100vw, 2261px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size has-custom-lineheight mb-0 pb-0 mt-0 pt-0\" id=\"morty-app\" style=\"line-height:1;font-size:51px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/pgs-playhouse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PG&#8217;s Playhouse Podcast<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG&#8217;s Playhouse recreates a fun game night, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what\u2019s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you\u2019ll take a listen and play along with us at PG\u2019s Playhouse.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/buzzshot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"663\" height=\"341\" data-attachment-id=\"112962\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/buzzshot-logo\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/buzzshot-logo.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"663,341\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"buzzshot logo\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/buzzshot-logo.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/buzzshot-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Buzzshot logo featuring a rounded square with a white &quot;Z&quot; surrounded by stylized z shaped graphics\" class=\"wp-image-112962\" srcset=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/buzzshot-logo.jpg 663w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/buzzshot-logo-300x154.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 663px) 100vw, 663px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size mt-0 pt-0\" id=\"morty-app\"><a href=\"https:\/\/buzzshot.com\/repod\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buzzshot<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0 pb-0\"><strong>Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus <strong>20% off <\/strong>your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/buzzshot.com\/repod\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>buzzshot.com\/repod<\/strong><\/a> to learn more about this exclusive offer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cogs.show\/#start\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"351\" data-attachment-id=\"125398\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/cogs-logo\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cogs-logo.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"800,351\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"cogs logo\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cogs-logo.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cogs-logo.jpg\" alt=\"logo for COGS, the C looks like a gear, and it's white text over a purple background\" class=\"wp-image-125398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cogs-logo.jpg 800w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cogs-logo-300x132.jpg 300w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/cogs-logo-768x337.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size mt-0 pt-0\" id=\"morty-app\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cogs.show\/#start\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">COGS<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software\/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug &amp; play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code.&nbsp;Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0 pb-0\"><strong>Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0 pb-0\">REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at <a href=\"https:\/\/cogs.show\/#start\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>cogs.show<\/strong><\/a>. Use code <strong>REPOD<\/strong> at checkout.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"topics-discussed-in-this-episode\">Topics Discussed in this Episode<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>00:03 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>03:37 Origin of the NPR Sunday Puzzle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>06:13 The Evolution of Crossword Puzzles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>15:17 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon &#8211; Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club &amp; More<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>18:28 The Digital Revolution in Puzzle Submissions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>20:31 The Popularity of Mini Puzzles and Wordle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>25:08 The Impact of Wordle on New York Times Games<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>25:53 Crossword Puzzles: Uniting Diverse Audiences<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>26:28 Innovations and Challenges in Crossword Puzzles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>27:26 The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>28:37 Strategies for Competitive Crossword Solving<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>30:24 Games Magazine: A Creative Hub for Puzzle Enthusiasts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>33:51 Sponsor Break: PG&#8217;s Playhouse &#8211; Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>35:29 Will&#8217;s Puzzle Book Collection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>38:11 A Passion for Table Tennis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>42:17 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>43:12 Escape Room Aspirations and Nature Park Plans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>45:19 The Fascination with Cryptos and CIA Ciphers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>46:32 The Magic of Puzzles and Immersive Games<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>48:49 Will Shortz: A Legacy in Puzzles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>49:39 Personal Philosophy and Life Lessons<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>51:08 Still Gaining Joy from Puzzles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>51:32 The National Puzzlers League and Conventions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>53:59 What Comes Next<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>54:44 Connecting with Will Shortz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>59:31 Bonus Story: The Ice Cube Clue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leave a Voicemail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"resources-mentioned-in-this-episode\">Resources Mentioned in this Episode<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/series\/4473090\/sunday-puzzle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NPR Sunday Puzzle<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/crosswords\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New York Times Games<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crosswordtournament.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">American Crossword Puzzle Tournament<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westchestertabletennis.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Westchester Table Tennis Club<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.puzzlers.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Puzzlers&#8217; League<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/video\/detail\/B0DG7D78TK\/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wordplay<\/a>: Documentary about Will Shortz and Crossword Tournaments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Will Shortz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"786\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"183705\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/will-shortz-puzzlemaster\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1800,2346\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.76&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Donald Christensen&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;FinePixS1Pro&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Will Shortz, Puzzlemaster&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1268611200&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;(c) 2010 Donald Christensen&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;34&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;320&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Will Shortz, Puzzlemaster&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Will Shortz, Puzzlemaster\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Will Shortz, Puzzlemaster&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-786x1024.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-786x1024.jpg\" alt=\"middle aged man with salt and pepper hair, mustache, smiling, wearing a grey button down shirt, in front of empty crossword puzzle grid\" class=\"wp-image-183705\" srcset=\"https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-786x1024.jpg 786w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-230x300.jpg 230w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-115x150.jpg 115w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-768x1001.jpg 768w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-1179x1536.jpg 1179w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-1571x2048.jpg 1571w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-300x391.jpg 300w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz-600x782.jpg 600w, https:\/\/roomescapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WillShortzAuthorizedPortrait-Will-Shortz.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 786px) 100vw, 786px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Will Shortz, Puzzlemaster<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Crossword editor, The New York Times (since 1993)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Puzzle master, &#8220;Weekend Edition Sunday,&#8221; NPR (since 1987)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Founder\/ director, American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (since 1978)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Program director, National Puzzler&#8217;s League annual convention (since 1976)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Founder, World Puzzle Championship, 1992 <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chairman, World Puzzle Federation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li> Author or editor of more than 750 books of puzzles <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Owner of more than 30,000 puzzle books and magazines dating back to 1533 &#8212; one of the world&#8217;s largest libraries on the subject<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"support-repod\">Support REPOD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/c\/roomescapeartist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Please rate and review our podcast!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks for listening!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Support Room Escape Artist&#8217;s Mission<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from <a aria-label=\"Amazon (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/shop\/roomescapeart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amazon<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.awin1.com\/cread.php?awinmid=6220&amp;awinaffid=651019&amp;ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Etsy<\/a> after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on <a aria-label=\"Patreon (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/roomescapeartist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Patreon<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u200a&#8221;Will Shortz has probably done more to elevate public consciousness of puzzles than any other individual in history.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":183704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[586398298],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-183733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reality-escape-pod"],"acf":[],"is_reblog":null,"post_id":null,"blog_id":null,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"586398298","yoast-structured-data-blocks-images-cache":null,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"escape 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