【新編英語(yǔ)教程】（第一冊(cè)）Unit11縱橫字謎（2/2）

Wynne made the puzzle in the form of a diamond. He gave 35 clues and called it a wordcross. He was not certain how the puzzle would be received, but it proved to be an immediate success. It can be said that the crossword puzzle, as it is called today, is the world's most popular form of recreation. Nearly 90% of the world's newspapers publish crossword puzzles. In the United States alone it is estimated that there are 30 million fans. Most forms of recreation require a partner, but crossword puzzles do not. This is, perhaps, the reason why they are so popular. They can be done by one person in almost any place. It is believed that most people do crossword puzzles just for fun. Most puzzle fans do not do them for their educational value, and most experts doubt that puzzles teach anything. What is the challenge of crossword puzzles? Most dedicated fans explain that they want to test their mental ability. And others say that they want to test their speed and perseverance in solving the puzzle. Many hope that they will improve to meet the challenge of more difficult puzzles.