WORDPLAY A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2006 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
So what does it take to make a world-class crossword puzzle solver? Nobody knows for sure, but this much is known -- people who excel in computer science/mathematics and in music are the most likely to make it to the upper echelon of the puzzle solving community. (For the record, although I have a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Berkeley and therefore have the right background, I've never had any interest in crossword puzzles. I do, however, love a good game of Scrabble.)
The engrossing and entertaining WORDPLAY takes us deep inside the crossword puzzle world, looking at it from three viewpoints: "constructors," dedicated but casual solvers and competitive players. Although this documentary is rather reminiscent of the Oscar-nominated SPELLBOUND, it differs in several ways. It is almost impossible to find a group of adults rabidly interested in spelling, and there is little community to speak of among spelling bee competitors since their big tournament is only for middle school students.
WORDPLAY shows us famous people, including ex-president Bill Clinton and comedian Jon Stewart, working away -- in pen! -- on their daily dose of the New York Times crossword puzzle. This puzzle is widely regarded as the gold standard of the puzzle world. Stewart does allow as how he would work the USA Today puzzle in a hotel, if the Times wasn't available, but says he wouldn't respect himself in the morning.
We meet the people who construct the puzzles, including the mild mannered Will Shortz, who edits as well as creates New York Times' puzzles. Living a puzzle life, he even got his college to allow him to construct his own specialized major in puzzle design. We learn a whole bunch of rules and goals about the percentage and symmetric arrangement of the black squares and of the famous "Sunday morning breakfast test" that every puzzle must pass in order to be printed in the newspaper. Puzzles live in a G-rated world in which even the word "urine" is forbidden.
Just as in SPELLBOUND, the best part is meeting and getting inside the heads of the contestants as they prepare and participate in the twenty-eighth annual Crossword Puzzle Tournament being held, as always, in the Marriott in Stamford, Connecticut.
Perhaps the most interesting, of the many interesting characters we meet, is Miriam Raphael, a statistician. A self-described "nerd girl," this forty-eight year old woman finished in first place about a decade ago, one week after being featured in a front-page, human-interest story in the Wall Street Journal. Pure geek, she does have one other "talent," which she displays at the tournament's annual and very hokey talent show. She twirls the baton and sometimes is even able to catch it when she throws it in the air. Looking like the grownup version of the girl from WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, Miriam will have you rooting for her, even though both of you realize that her time has passed. Newer hotshots will probably take the trophy this year.
Middle-aged Al Sanders, a computer company project manager, is fascinating. Every sport has a guy with a specialty, and Al's is speed. He's a speed demon on the puzzles, which has turned him into a perennial third place finisher. He always makes it into the last round, which consists of three players, and he always comes in third. Will this finally be his year or will he begin to fade away?
Twenty-year old Tyler Hinman, an IT major at school, is young and aggressive but never obnoxious. And when a scoring error in the mid-point of the tournament cheats him out of a few points, his fellow contestants discover the error and fight hard to ensure that he gets what is due to him.
Trip Payne, who at twenty-four was the youngest winner ever and who is a "professional puzzle maker," is back this year and in fighting form. Many people see him as the man to beat, even if Tyler is the fastest rising one of the group.
As the contest works its way to the end, who ends up in the final three and who wins it all will have enough twists for a fictional film. But it's a mystery whose conclusion isn't nearly as interesting as the journey to get there. WORDPLAY is playful and delightful, a wonderfully and breezily entertaining film.
WORDPLAY runs a fast 1:34. It is rated PG for "some language and mild thematic elements" and would be acceptable for all ages.
The film is playing in nationwide release now in the United States. In the Silicon Valley, it is showing at the Camera Cinemas.
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