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Anyway, just like when I watched Nerds FC,
I was proud of my people: nary a care in the world of what the
so-called uber-cool community would think. And this is shown once again
in Wordplay, a documentary
about crosswords, or, more specifically - the New York Times Crossword
Puzzle, long declared the best in the world.
It reveals a
before-hidden sect of puzzle-patrons who enjoy the crossword somewhat
more than the average reader. So much so, in fact, that many high-tail
it to the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament to battle out their
puzzle-solving skills. Really.
Will Shortz, crossword editor for
the NYT, has been referred to as “the Errol Flynn of crossword
puzzling”- with good reason. He majored in puzzles in college - a
curriculum he completely designed himself, for himself, and “didn’t
mind living in poverty to do puzzles”. He and Merle Reagle (another
crossword puzzle constructor) create the renowned Times crossword like
one would make a beautiful car, or a wedding cake. This is serious
puzzling business.
There are some great closet-crossworders
featured in the doco, including the ever hilarious Jon Stewart (who is
so confident of his cross-wording ability he vows to do his in glue
stick), Bill Clinton (I never noticed it before, but, yes Clinton is
strangely appealing. Call me strange; maybe it’s the accent? Come on,
if there are any girls reading this, back me up!) and the Indigo Girls,
who, I suppose, were lucky never to have had a very cool reputation to
be sullied by cross-wording.
There is some astonishing talent in
the film. My personal favourite, who I ended up rooting for throughout
the whole thing, was 20-year old Tyler Hinman. A pale, ginger young
chap who had none of the typical clichés that went with your average
American nerd teen. He had beer posters on his walls, no acne or
glasses and was somewhat attractive. Plus, he went all the way to the
Tournament ***SPOILER AHEAD*** and won! Amazingly, Tyler completed a 45-minute crossword in 8! That, my friends, is awesome!
I loved him even more for his confession of constant pun creation: “I make a lot of puns…they’re usually met with a groan or an “I hate you””.
I
sure can relate to that. There was genuine drama heart-palpitating
during the final minutes when puzzlers “crossed swords” (watch it and
get the joke) to battle for the win.
It’s heartwarming, that’s
the word. Not like Hallmark cards or socks from your Nana, but
genuinely pleasant. It made me, personally, feel very proud to be the
nerd I am. The camaraderie between puzzlers was exquisite, although
they were technically competing with each other, most just came for the
fun and whimsy of it all. I cheered for the puzzlers the way some cheer
at AFL games. I felt truly disheartened when others went home empty
handed; their cross-wording dreams tattered in their hands. I even felt
a small correlation between Ellen Ripley, a former Tournament winner
and self-confessed “little nerd girl” and I: I thought, well, there are
worse people to see parts of myself in. I’d retch if I had anything in
common besides the need for oxygen with anyone on Laguna Beach.
There
you have it, kids. Nerds unite and puzzle to your hearts content! Or
watch DVDs with audio commentary on, that’s what I’d be doing.
EXTRAS
A shitload!
Deleted
scenes, puzzles (of course), music videos, Wordplay’s premiere at the
Sundance Film Festival, photos and, of course, audio commentary with
Will Shortz, Merle Reagle and director of the film, Patrick Creadon.
Word!
Conclusion:
Movie 75% Extras: 68%
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