On April 18, 1924, Simon & Schuster published the first crossword puzzle book. The crossword puzzle first appeared in an 1890 Italian publication as a four-by-four word game. The first modern puzzle, however, dates back to 1912. The New York World newspaper published the first-ever crossword puzzle thanks to the notable inventor Arthur Wynne.

Other newspapers quickly picked up on the puzzle’s popularity with New York World readers and thus began including similar crossword puzzles in their own publications. By the early 1920s, the word game was a hit. Seeking to capitalize on its growing popularity, Simon & Schuster, an American publishing company, published the first crossword puzzle book.

The book was a major success. Along with being a financially fruitful venture, the book’s publication helped to propel the crossword craze forward and ultimately solidify its popularity for decades to come. In fact, crossword puzzles are even more popular today than they were in the 1920s!