a game that borders on art

Why is the game of crossword puzzles especially relevant to the arts?

Crossword puzzles exploit principles of language and linguistics. As such, crossword puzzles tend to appeal to those with an inclination for and interest in the language arts. These are the kinds of people who receive simple pleasure and other forms of gratification from exercising their linguistic faculties.

Moreover, the crossword puzzle is an ideal vehicle for expressing content taken from the arts. One or more of its clues may based on arts-related subjects; its theme may be inspired by the arts; or it may based on a subject drawn from arts, such as an author or painter.

The crossword puzzle is so intimately involved with language and linguistics, it is reasonable to view the process of creating, editing, or solving a crossword puzzle as a form of language art. It follows that a person working on a crossword puzzle is practicing a language art, even though he may not think of this involvement as such.

It follows that, if language processing is involved, a person solving a crossword puzzle exercises areas of the brain associated with language processing, and that, if this conjecture is valid, this mental activity would appear on an electronic brain-scanning apparatus. We hasten to add that we know of no scientific studies up to now designed to demonstrate this supposition.

Because of the close connections between the crossword puzzle, the language arts, and the other arts, The Muse Of Language Arts hereby dedicates this feature to those who populate the world of crossword puzzles. In this feature, The Muse invites you to explore this world; and then, if not already a member, to join it.

If you are an inveterate crossword puzzler, it may seem odd to think of yourself as as an artist; but insofar as crossword puzzling is an art, that's what you are. It's often said that there are 50 million solvers in the U.S. alone. If crosswords are an art form, that's a lot of artists.