Reading Comprehension • Saddleback Educational Publishing ©2002 132 3 Watson, Irvine, CA 92618•Phone (888)SDL-BACK•www.sdlback.com
Na m e : ___ _
Directions:Date:The story below traces the history of crossword puzzles. After reading it carefully,
write the key events in the map below in the order that they happened.If you’ve ever used a map to find your way, you
know that a map is just a visual way to show
information. Let’s try it.Some people in ancient times used to pass the time making word squares. The letters in
these word squares spelled the same words horizontally and vertically.
In 1913, the editor for the New York Worldnewspaper, Arthur Winn, created a new kind of
word square. Winn called his puzzle a “word cross.” This first crossword puzzle appeared
in the Sunday edition of the paper on December 21 of that year. The readers of the paper
enjoyed it so much that they asked for more.
However, it wasn’t until 1924 that the first book of crossword puzzles was published. The
book started an overnight craze. People competed in national tournaments, and some
libraries had to enforce a five-minute limit for dictionary use. While crossword
enthusiasts may not be as fanatical today, the crossword puzzle is still a popular pastime.In 1913, Arthur Winn________________________________________________________________________________________On December 21________________________________________________________________________________________Then, in 1924________________________________________________________________________________________Today________________________________________________________________________________________From ancient times________________________________________________________________________________________