The drawing power of crossword puzzles has been used to sell everything from newspapers to lottery tickets. Simon & Schuster became a publishing powerhouse thanks in large part to the success of their first few books which were a series of crossword puzzle collections. Here are some books which will delight the crossword aficianado (cruciverbalist) in your life.
1. The Crossword Obsession
Some of the comments from people who have read this book: "in one afternoon, learned as much as I had in the previous 15 years" "Fascinating" "jaw-dropping" "too interesting to ignore" "an eye-opening book". Definitely a must-read for the serious crossword solver.
2. Puzzled To Death
The third book in Parnell Hall's mystery series featuring the enigmatic Cora Felton, aka 'The Puzzle Lady'. The plot in this whodunit has more twists and turns than the crossword puzzle it features that readers can solve in order to discover the identity of the culprit.
3. Last Puzzle & Testament
The second book in Parnell Hall's mystery series featuring Cora Felton, aka 'The Puzzle Lady'. As with all the books in the series, it includes a crossword puzzle. Be forewarned that Mr Hall is better at writing fiction than creating puzzles. Seasoned solvers will be disappointed with the crossword but the book is a fun read and Cora is an endearing old goose despite her curmudgeonly character.4. A Clue For The Puzzle Lady
The first book in Parnell Hall's mystery series featuring the enigmatic Cora Felton. Includes a crossword puzzle that readers can solve in order to discover the identity of the culprit. The puzzle is not this book's strongpoint but the story will keep you guessing right until the very end.5. Crossword Puzzles For Dummies
If you've ever gone cross-eyed trying to solve crosswords then this is the book for you. Michelle Arnot reveals all in this amusing, informative book.