Silent she tumbles headlong in the grate.
I take my book and leisurely resume
My tale, and peace and quiet fill the room.
From F.P.A.’s Conning Tower
in The New York World [[7]]
THE CROSS WORD
PUZZLE BOOK
[[9]]
CONFESSIONS OF A CROSS WORD PUZZLE EDITOR
When I was first made unwilling Cross Word Puzzle Editor some two years ago, the procedure in deciding what puzzle would be run was limited to picking out a good-looking one from among the bunch and sending it upstairs to be set. I saw no reason to change this splendid system. At that time, I had never taken the trouble to do a puzzle and the letters of anathema and condemnation that came in by the dozens had small effect on my conscience. They were evidently from cranks and couldn’t be avoided.
I must admit that the dawning of conscience began with the arrival of F.P.A., who came to work in the next room. When he discovered that I was responsible for the cross words, he formed the atrocious habit of stalking in every Monday morning bright and early (about eleven o’clock) to point out to me in sarcastic tones just what was wrong with yesterday’s. Well, to make a long story short, in order to avoid the moronish feeling that usually followed such a lecture, I decided to reform and find out what a really decent puzzle was like.