The crossword puzzle's role in World War II and the fight against Nazism.

1171. In the bonus segment that aired for Grammarpaloozians in November, we look at the early history of crossword puzzles and their surprising political uses. Natan Last explains how the “New York Times” crossword, which premiered during World War II, was used to boost morale and support the Allied war effort. We also look at the cultural frenzy of "crossworditis" in the 1920s and why libraries banned the puzzles as frivolous. Find Natan Last at Natanlast.com. Get the book, " Across the Universe ." 🔗 Join the Grammar Girl Patreon. 🔗 Share your familect recording in Speakpipe or by leaving a voicemail at 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) 🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses . 🔗

You can listen to The crossword puzzle's role in World War II and the fight against Nazism. online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The crossword puzzle's role in World War II and the fight against Nazism. is an episode from Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty, Inc..

This episode is 18:52 long.

This episode was published on Mar 26, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.