NERDPLAY: I don't have a lot to say about the charming new documentary Wordplay. It is, essentially, Spellbound for the crossword puzzle fan, with cameos by lots of famous crossword fans like Bill Clinton**, Jon Stewart and Mike Mussina.
First two thirds of the movie is dedicated to getting to know the puzzle constructors (Will Shortz, Merl Reagle) and a cross-section of the better solvers in the country; last third takes us to the 2005 national championships, where much drama ensues.
Basically, if you're the kind of person who was interested in seeing this movie, then, hell yes, you should see it. It's warm, witty and insightful. Still, I'm not going to claim that it's the greatest movie ever made -- just that it does what it does really well. Two things stand out in that regard: excellent use of on-screen graphics to show us what's going on in the puzzles and in the tournament, and a neat narrative pull-through of showing Reagle constructing one puzzle for the Times, then showing all the famous people trying to work their way through it after it's published.
Like the NYT crossword itself, it's a good way to entertain your brain for a while.
** Forgot to mention this before -- loudest cheer at the bar during the second half of the game was when they showed Clinton in the stands. The place just erupted.
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