Natan Last: Who Has Time for Crosswords? (Not Joyce Carol Oates)
About this episode
Ira Madison III talks with crossword constructor Natan Last about the cultural significance of crosswords and the creative process behind them.
Crossword constructor Natan Last joins Ira for a conversation about taste, culture, and the surprising power of play. They discuss how crossword puzzles shape the cultural canon, why every clue has a point of view, and what it means to create work that reflects your own voice. Natan also revisits the moment he made Ira a clue in The New York Times crossword. Plus, they get into AI, the COVID game boom, and why making a crossword is a lot like creating the perfect mixtape. 00:00 Intro 04:39 Discovering Crossword Construction with Natan Last 06:52 Publishing a New York Times Crossword at Sixteen 12:20 How Crosswords Changed With Pop Culture 17:10 Editors, Constructors & Finding Your Voice 21:11 Ira Becoming a Crossword Clue 27:16 Writing for The New York Times vs. The New Yorker 30:04 Editorial Choices and the Politics of Clues 35:35 The Surprising History of the Crossword Craze 42:01 Building the Next Generation of Crossword Solvers 44:29 Learning From Will Shortz 48:24 AI, Authorship & the Future of Crosswords 53:21 Writing Longhand, Toni Morrison & Creative Process 58:42 Rap, Poetry & the Joy of Wordplay 1:02:21 Favorite Crossword Clues Hosted on Acast. See…
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