Mike Shenk
Mike Shenk | |
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| Born | 1958 (age 65–66) Penn State University (BS) |
| Occupations |
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| Website | www |
Mike Shenk (born 1958) is an American crossword puzzle creator and editor. He has been the editor of the Wall Street Journal crossword puzzle since 1998. He is considered one of the best crossword constructors of his time.[1][2][3]
Career
Shenk grew up as one of four siblings on a family farm in
In 1980, Shenk began submitting crosswords to
The Wall Street Journal hired Shenk as its first crossword puzzle editor in 1998.[1][6] The newspaper started with weekly 21×21 puzzles on Fridays and added variety puzzles on Saturdays when the paper's weekend edition launched in 2005.[6] Monday crosswords ran in some editions for a few years before the Journal introduced daily weekday crosswords in September 2015; the 21×21 puzzle moved to the weekend, and Friday crosswords became meta contest puzzles.[6] He formerly credited his own constructions to anagrammatic pseudonyms such as Marie Kelly ("really Mike") and Colin Gale and Alice Long ("Collegian").[1][7]
Shenk has invented several variety puzzle formats, such as Marching Bands, Spell Weaving, and Snowflake.[2] He has been a judge and constructor at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (ACPT).[8][9] At ACPT in 2005, he hand-constructed, clued, and printed copies of a new puzzle in an hour, a feat recorded during the making of the documentary Wordplay, and the puzzle ran in the Times two weeks later.[8][10] He was awarded the Merl Reagle MEmoRiaL Award "for lifetime achievement in crossword construction" at ACPT in 2019.[11]
Personal life
As of 2014,[update] Shenk lives in Manhattan, New York City.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mossbrook, Carley (December 27, 2014). "An enigmatic career: Math alum is Wall Street Journal's puzzle guru". Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
Shenk, now one of the country's leading enigmatologists.
- ^ Sunday News. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
'He is one of the best constructors' ... Shortz says.
- Slate. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
Crossword legend Mike Shenk.
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ Garnatz, Judy (January 13, 1991). "Reader puzzled over crossword". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c Kassel, Matthew (September 14, 2015). "Cruciverbalists Rejoice! The Wall Street Journal Adds a Daily Crossword Puzzle". Observer. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ "A Note on Crosswords and Bylines". The Wall Street Journal. January 17, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Horne, Jim (December 12, 2009). "Sometimes a Great Notion". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- NPR. February 25, 2010. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
- ISBN 0312364032..
Creadon, Patrick; O'Malley, Christine (April 5, 2019). "Mike Shenk – tribute video by Patrick Creadon and Christine O'Malley". American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Retrieved November 10, 2023 – via YouTube - ^ "Annual MEmoRiaL Award". American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Retrieved November 8, 2023.