Among so many great word games, crosswords still reign supreme. How have they survived — and even expanded — in our digital age? What goes into a good puzzle, and will computer techniques take over? Daniel chats with author Natan Last about his book Across the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle.

Timestamps

• Intros: 0:35
• News: 4:42
• Related or Not: 22:13
• Interview with Natan Last: 37:56
• Words of the Week: 1:24:52
• Comment: 1:53:37
• The Reads: 1:55:31
• Outtakes: 2:02:50