2006 · documentary
Wordplay
Directed by Patrick Creadon1h 34m2006
From the masters who create the mind-bending diversions to the tense competition at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, Patrick Creadon's documentary reveals a fascinating look at a decidedly addictive pastime. Creadon captures New York Times editor Will Shortz at work, talks to celebrity solvers -- including Bill Clinton and Ken Burns -- and presents an intimate look at the national tournament and its competitors.
Our read: Wordplay (2006) reads as a cosy, steady, grounded documentary entry — gentle in intensity, intimate in scope, measured in temperature, redemptive in outlook.
Cosy, steady, gentle documentary, grounded in texture. Redemptive, intimate, measured.
- warm
- gentle
- redemptive
- intimate
Watching Wordplay tonight? Spin for your lens.
Everyone on the couch spins once and gets one craft to watch for. After the credits, compare what you caught.
Your lens for tonight
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Everyone on the couch gets one craft to watch for. Spin the wheel to get yours. Sound on: the narrator reads your mission.
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How Wordplay feels to watch.
Each axis is scored by hand, not from votes or genre averages. The bar uses the film's own colours.
What watching it is actually like.
“You want an engaging look inside the world of crossword puzzles and their passionate solvers.”
Skip it tonight — Skip if competitive puzzle solving and talking heads sound dull for a night.
Eight films that feel like this one.
Closest in the twelve-axis space, not “people also liked”. All films like Wordplay, with why →
Discussion
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