# 3183l - 1998 32c Celebrate the Century - 1910s: First Crossword Puzzle
US #3183l
1998 First Crossword Puzzle 1913 – Celebrate the Century (1910s)
• Part of the second sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Honors the creation of the first crossword puzzle
• Includes text on the back with historical details
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 32¢ First Class Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: February 3, 1998
First Day City: Washington, DC
Quantity Issued: 188,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Intaglio
Format: Panes of 15
Perforations: 11.6
Tagging: Block Tagging
Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the introduction of the crossword puzzle and its longtime popularity around the world.
About the stamp design: Pictures an oil painting of a person completing a crossword puzzle by artist Dennis Lyall. Includes the following text on the back “Newspaperman Arthur Wynne created the first crossword puzzle. It appeared in the New York World on Sunday, December 21, 1913. Clue 2-3: What bargain hunters enjoy.”
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held in Washington, DC, with legendary radio and television host Larry King as master of ceremonies.
About the Celebrate the Century series: The USPS launched the Celebrate the Century series in 1998 to mark the end of the 20th century and herald the arrival of the 21st. The series includes 10 sheets of 15 stamps (150 in total), with each honoring important moments from a different decade (1900s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s). At the time of completion, it was the longest and most ambitious commemorative stamp series in US history.
History the stamp represents: The first crossword puzzle was created by American journalist Arthur Wynne. “Fun’s Word-Cross Puzzle” appeared in the New York World newspaper on Sunday, December 21, 1913. It was the forerunner to the puzzles, with their familiar diagrams of black and white squares, which are so popular today. Wynne’s puzzle actually began a fad which spread to other countries, and crosswords now appear in countless languages around the world.
The numbered definitions or clues for this first crossword puzzle are included here. The original instructions read, “Fill in the small squares with words which agree with the following definitions.”
2-3: What bargain hunters enjoy. 4-5: A written acknowledgement. 6-7: Such and nothing more. 10-11: A bird. 14-15: Opposed to less. 18-19: What this puzzle is. 22-23: An animal of prey. 26-27: The close of a day. 28-29: To elude. 30-31: The plural of is. 8-9: To cultivate. 12-13: A bar of wood or iron. 16-17: What artists learn to do. 20-21: Fastened. 24-25: Found on the seashore. 10-18: The fibre of the gomuti palm. 6-22: What we all should be. 4-26: A day dream. 2-11: A talon. 19-28: A pigeon. F-7: Part of your head. 23-30: A river in Russia. 1-32: To govern. 33-34: An aromatic plant. N-8: A fist. 24-31: To agree with. 3-12: Part of a ship. 20-29: One. 5-27: Exchanging. 9-25: To sink in mud. 13-21: A boy.
Answer Key:
2-3: Sales
4-5: Receipt
6-7: Mere
10-11: Farm
14-15: Dove
18-19: Rail
22-23: More
26-27: Draw
28-29: Hard
30-31: Tied
8-9: Lion
12-13: Sand
16-17: Evening
20-21: Evade
24-25: Are
10-18: Doh
6-22: Moral
4-26: Reverie
2-11: Sere
19-28: Dove
F-7: Face
23-30: Neva
1-32: Rule
33-34: Nard
N-8: Neif
24-31: Side
3-12: Spar
20-29: Tane
5-27: Trading
9-25: Mired
13-21: Lad
US #3183l
1998 First Crossword Puzzle 1913 – Celebrate the Century (1910s)
• Part of the second sheet in the Celebrate the Century stamp series issued from 1998-2000
• Honors the creation of the first crossword puzzle
• Includes text on the back with historical details
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Series: Celebrate the Century
Value: 32¢ First Class Mail Rate
First Day of Issue: February 3, 1998
First Day City: Washington, DC
Quantity Issued: 188,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset, Intaglio
Format: Panes of 15
Perforations: 11.6
Tagging: Block Tagging
Why the stamp was issued: To commemorate the introduction of the crossword puzzle and its longtime popularity around the world.
About the stamp design: Pictures an oil painting of a person completing a crossword puzzle by artist Dennis Lyall. Includes the following text on the back “Newspaperman Arthur Wynne created the first crossword puzzle. It appeared in the New York World on Sunday, December 21, 1913. Clue 2-3: What bargain hunters enjoy.”
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held in Washington, DC, with legendary radio and television host Larry King as master of ceremonies.
About the Celebrate the Century series: The USPS launched the Celebrate the Century series in 1998 to mark the end of the 20th century and herald the arrival of the 21st. The series includes 10 sheets of 15 stamps (150 in total), with each honoring important moments from a different decade (1900s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s). At the time of completion, it was the longest and most ambitious commemorative stamp series in US history.
History the stamp represents: The first crossword puzzle was created by American journalist Arthur Wynne. “Fun’s Word-Cross Puzzle” appeared in the New York World newspaper on Sunday, December 21, 1913. It was the forerunner to the puzzles, with their familiar diagrams of black and white squares, which are so popular today. Wynne’s puzzle actually began a fad which spread to other countries, and crosswords now appear in countless languages around the world.
The numbered definitions or clues for this first crossword puzzle are included here. The original instructions read, “Fill in the small squares with words which agree with the following definitions.”
2-3: What bargain hunters enjoy. 4-5: A written acknowledgement. 6-7: Such and nothing more. 10-11: A bird. 14-15: Opposed to less. 18-19: What this puzzle is. 22-23: An animal of prey. 26-27: The close of a day. 28-29: To elude. 30-31: The plural of is. 8-9: To cultivate. 12-13: A bar of wood or iron. 16-17: What artists learn to do. 20-21: Fastened. 24-25: Found on the seashore. 10-18: The fibre of the gomuti palm. 6-22: What we all should be. 4-26: A day dream. 2-11: A talon. 19-28: A pigeon. F-7: Part of your head. 23-30: A river in Russia. 1-32: To govern. 33-34: An aromatic plant. N-8: A fist. 24-31: To agree with. 3-12: Part of a ship. 20-29: One. 5-27: Exchanging. 9-25: To sink in mud. 13-21: A boy.
Answer Key:
2-3: Sales
4-5: Receipt
6-7: Mere
10-11: Farm
14-15: Dove
18-19: Rail
22-23: More
26-27: Draw
28-29: Hard
30-31: Tied
8-9: Lion
12-13: Sand
16-17: Evening
20-21: Evade
24-25: Are
10-18: Doh
6-22: Moral
4-26: Reverie
2-11: Sere
19-28: Dove
F-7: Face
23-30: Neva
1-32: Rule
33-34: Nard
N-8: Neif
24-31: Side
3-12: Spar
20-29: Tane
5-27: Trading
9-25: Mired
13-21: Lad