Backstage: Will Shortz
Meet Will Shortz,
Crossword Editor of
The New York Times
NPR Puzzlemaster
Aspiring Table Tennis Champion
Hometown: Pleasantville, New York (but raised on an Arabian horse farm in
Crawfordsville, Indiana)
Favorite non-puzzle activity: Table Tennis
Q Do you have a favorite word?
A Yes. My favorite word is “ucalegon,”... it’s a neighbor whose house is on fire. It comes from Greek myth in an instance where there was a neighbor whose house was on fire. I’ve never had occasion to use the word outside of saying it’s my...
