Review: WordPlay (B+)

Wordplay (2006)
Directed By Patrick Creadon
MPAA: PG
Grade: B+

I have huge respect for those that can knock out the New York Times crossword puzzle. It's very difficult. But for some of the brains in the wonderful documentary film Wordplay, it's a piece of cake. And that's amazing.

The surprising documentary Wordplay, directed by Patrick Creadon, focuses on Will Shortz, the crossword puzzle editor of the New York Times. Will started a national championship for the "sport" and the film spends a lot of its time showing the race up to the crowning of a crossword champion. While you might think that watching people do crosswords may be boring, the filmmakers do a great job of making this exercise quite entertaining. The squares and their corresponding questions are shown on screen as the contestant answers them. Somehow it works.

The great minds that enter the crossword championships are in good company. Wordplay interviews New York Times crossword fans Jon Stewart, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole and Ken Burns. All of them profess to be addicted to the New York Times crossword puzzle and it's pretty darn funny to see Jon Stewart treat filling out the crossword puzzle as if it's a football game.

Wordplay is inventive, smart and surprisingly entertaining. It is recommended for everyone, even if you (like me) find the New York Times crossword puzzles a bit daunting.