Known for Crossword puzzles Name Henry Hook | Role Crossword compiler Died October 27, 2015 | |
Spouse(s) Stephanie Abrams (1985-1988, her death) People also search for Herbert Resnicow, Paul Sloane, Stephen Sniderman, Gary Disch, Shawn Kennedy Books The Boston Globe Sunday C, Hooked on Cryptograms, Twisted Crosswords, Terribly Twisted Crosswords, The Boston Globe Sunday C | ||
Henry Hook (September 18, 1955 – October 27, 2015) was an American creator of crossword puzzles, widely credited with popularizing the cryptic crossword in North America. With Henry Rathvon and Emily Cox, he wrote the crossword for the Boston Globe.
Hook began constructing crosswords at age 14, when he sent a rebuttal crossword to Eugene T. Maleska. Maleska's crossword contained the hidden message:
You Have Just Finished The World's Most Remarkable Crossword
Hook's crossword contained the hidden message:
What Makes You Think Your Puzzle Is More Remarkable Than Mine
In 1980, Hook joined the staff of Games. In 1990, CROSSW RD ranked his Hooked on Puzzles #3 the best book of the year; Hook subsequently recused himself from future awards.
Stanley Newman's official website has described one of Hook's puzzles as "one of the toughest crosswords (Newman) has ever published"; Matt Gaffney, the crossword constructor for Slate.com, described meeting Hook as being like "meeting Elvis", while Will Shortz called him "ingenious, (and) a truly brilliant puzzlemaker." He died on October 27, 2015, after a long illness.