Rex Parker
Born
Michael David Sharp[1]

(1969-11-26) November 26, 1969[1]
EducationPomona College (BA)
University of Michigan (MA, PhD)
Occupations
Known forRex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle
Websiterexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com

Michael David Sharp (born November 26, 1969), known by the pseudonym Rex Parker, is an American professor and blogger known for his blog, Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle, about the New York Times crossword puzzle. Begun in 2006, it has become the country's best known crossword blog. Outside of crosswords, Sharp teaches English at Binghamton University in New York.

Early life, education, and career

Sharp grew up in Fresno, California.[2] He went to Pomona College as an undergraduate and earned his PhD in English from the University of Michigan in 1999.[3] He became interested in crossword puzzles in his senior year of college in 1990.[4] While in graduate school, he often solved crosswords in free newspapers found in cafés.[5][6]

Sharp joined the English department of Binghamton University in 1999.[7] He has taught classes on medieval literature, crime fiction, and comic books.[3][8] He used to teach occasionally at Elmira Correctional Facility.[9]

Blogging

Sharp began writing about the daily New York Times crossword puzzle as practice for a possible website for a comics course.[6][10] He writes under a pseudonym—Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld—that was originally a nickname invented during a family trip to Hawaii; his real-life identity was outed in 2007.[6][11] Five weeks after its debut on September 25, 2006, the blog received hundreds of views when the first puzzles he had written about were reprinted in national syndication.[4][5] Two years later, there were more than 10,000 daily readers, more than 20,000 in 2012, and 50,000 in 2021.[4][5][7] It has long been the most widely known crossword blog, ahead of others such as Diary of a Crossword Fiend.[4][12] Some readers of the blog regularly participate in the comment section, which forms a part of the online crossword community.[5][13]

Sharp's reviews are characterized by use of humor and strong opinions.[9][14] He usually solves the Times puzzle in the late evening and writes posts in the morning before going to work.[10][15] Reviews express Sharp's likes or dislikes of elements of a puzzle such as its theme, clues, fill, and fairness.[4][6] Posts also include the puzzle's solution, a difficulty rating, an explanation of the theme if there is one, a "word of the day", and topical pictures and music.[6][16] In 2008, he invented the crossword term "natick" (after Natick, Massachusetts) for an "unguessable" square crossed in both directions by proper nouns considered obscure.[4][17] He has sometimes criticized the Times puzzle on issues of gender and racial representation.[14][18] Crossword editor Will Shortz has said he has "mixed feelings" about the blog, and the Times's "Wordplay" column has called it "decidedly divisive" for its occasionally caustic tone.[4][19] Sharp has framed the blog as an effort to treat an ephemeral product as a creative work worthy of criticism.[10][13]

Sharp has competed in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, placing as high as 31st in 2011.[6] He used to test solve puzzles for the Times for some time before 2009.[10] He has constructed several crosswords published in the Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times since 2010.[7]

Sharp writes another blog, Pop Sensation, cataloguing his vintage paperback novel collection, begun in March 2007.[3][7]

References

  1. 1 2 Parker, Rex (November 26, 2019). "Tuesday, November 26, 2019". Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle. Retrieved January 13, 2024. If you are reading this, I am fifty ... it's my birthday. ... Or use Venmo: @MichaelDavidSharp
  2. ↑ Parker, Rex (April 20, 2023). "Thursday, April 20, 2023". Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Pinkus, Odeya (February 10, 2015). "Michael Sharp: a man of comics, classics and crosswords". Pipe Dream. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hansen, Claire (August 8, 2018). "What's a 9-Letter Word for 'King of CrossWorld'?". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Ebbeling, Vanessa (November 30, 2008). "BU educator's work puzzles growing legion of enthusiasts". Press & Sun-Bulletin. p. 1A; "Puzzles (continued)". p. 11A – via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fiore, Anthony (February 24, 2012). "Professor moonlights as crossword master". Pipe Dream. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Coker, Rachel (April 8, 2012). "Professor's blog helps crossword fans fill in the blanks". Binghamton University. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  8. ↑ Saul, John B. (August 20, 2010). "From the Magazine: Puzzling Future". Pomona College. Archived from the original on November 28, 2010.
  9. 1 2 Horne, Jim (August 16, 2010). "Some Strauss Compositions". The New York Times. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Horne, Jim (February 4, 2009). "Rex Parker Interview". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Rex Parker's Crossword Blog for Experts, Cheaters". Vulture. July 29, 2008. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  12. ↑ Stevenson, M. George (May 18, 2007). "Blogs Answer, Question Crossword Puzzles". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008.
  13. 1 2 Hermes, J.J. (February 22, 2008). "'King of CrossWorld'". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Archived from the original on October 20, 2023.
  14. 1 2 Loth, Renée (August 27, 2021). "My secret pandemic crushes". The Boston Globe. p. A9 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Fralic, Shelley (March 7, 2008). "Shortz turned arcane puzzle into teasing, popular pastime". Vancouver Sun. p. H6 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Crossword buffs have an online meeting place, thanks to Binghamton prof". North Country Public Radio. May 12, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  17. ↑ Brown, Bob (March 13, 2021). "Natick infamous in crossword puzzle circles". Natick Report. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  18. ↑ Raphel, Adrienne (2020). Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them. Penguin Books. p. 108. ISBN 9780525522102.
  19. ↑ Horne, Jim (December 21, 2010). "Wednesday: Sic et Non". The New York Times. Retrieved November 21, 2023.

Further reading

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