The "Mind Blowing Crossword Puzzles" Story

My graphic's test for you to try.
Click on image to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day.  Leafing through the Parade Magazine that comes with the Sunday newspaper and saw something that reminded me of when I taught graphic arts and photography at Manheim Township High School in Lancaster, PA.  For many of the tests that I gave to check for comprehension of the topic we were studying I would make a crossword puzzle.  Kids loved it since I would give them clues as well as perhaps a few of the letters in the answer if they had answered other parts of the puzzle beforehand.  I did make it fairly tough by not giving them the exact name of an item, but it was still fairly close.  I was able to make these crossword puzzles by going to www.supercrosswordcreater.com and following the directions.  You could give quite a few words and definitions and then hit the create button and viola, you had a crossword puzzle.  

1st crossword puzzle ever to
be printed in the newspaper.

This was a quick way to check on a daily or weekly basis what they were comprehending and what needed to be emphasized again.  Tough going for a few weeks, giving a test, and realizing that something two weeks ago they never understood.  Most everything from that point on had to be retaught.  Well, my story today happens to coincide with the 100 anniversary of the crossword puzzle this month.  The American pastime was born on December 21, 1913 when the New York World published the first "word cross," created by journalist Arthur Wynne, in its Sunday Fun section.  Parade Magazine gave the link to the original puzzle which I have printed for you to try.  The answers naturally follow.  Oh yeah, I created a puzzle for you which deals with the old time platen press and letterpress printing.  Anyone at all able to solve it?  Answers to that also appear at the bottom.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

My solution.

Newspaper solution.