Bernice Gordon, a crossword pioneer
(January 11, 1914 – January 29, 2015)
Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul
Bernice Gordon loved to make crossword puzzles.
Her first crossword was published in 1952.
It was published in a U.S. newspaper, The New York Times.
For over 60 years, Bernice made
one crossword puzzle each day.
Her crosswords went into
many major newspapers across the U.S.
Bernice’s life
Bernice was born in Philadelphia on January 11, 1914.
She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.
She raised three children.
Later, she worked as an artist and travelled the world.
Bernice started making crossword puzzles in her 30s.
At the time, her husband died.
“‘My life suddenly became very, very empty….'”
One night, Bernice had an idea.
“‘I do a crossword puzzle every day.
Suppose I try making one.
So I tried one and it was easy,'” she said.
She said that crossword puzzles helped her
with her grief.*
She also enjoyed the mental challenge.
* grief: sadness
At 100
Crosswords “‘make my life,'”
I couldn’t live without them,'”
said Bernice after her 100th birthday last year.
Bernice passed away on January 29, 2015.
For one century and one year,
Bernice challenged* her crossword fans.
She will be missed.
*challenged: gave someone something difficult to do
WCR crossword puzzles