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Wordplay

2006 · Movie · NR · 94 min

7.5(48)unSUB Rating

Documentary

This documentary dives into the world of crossword puzzles, from how they’re created to the dedicated community that solves them. It follows a major national tournament, mixes in interviews with well-known fans, and offers a close look at the passion, humor, and friendly rivalry behind a surprisingly addictive pastime.

Where to watch

Watch free on Amazon Freevee, Fawesome, Hoopla +4 more — also streaming on AMC+, Philo and Sundance Now.

2 hours to watch.

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Details
Years
2006
Release date
2006-06-26
Language
English
Rated
NR
Runtime
94 min
Max quality
SD
TMDB rating (input)
7.0/10 (48 votes)
About

You’ll likely enjoy this if you like niche-interest documentaries, brainy hobbies, and friendly competition, especially if you’re curious about how puzzles get made; Not for you if you want high drama or broad scope like Control Room.

Pros: charming puzzle community; funny celebrity chats; engaging tournament energy | Cons: heavy New York Times focus; limited puzzle variety; low-key for some

Themes

  • competition
  • contest
  • crossword puzzle

Cast & crew

  • Will Shortz

    Will Shortz

    as Self

  • MR

    Merl Reagle

    as Self

  • Bill Clinton

    Bill Clinton

    as Self

  • Jon Stewart

    Jon Stewart

    as Self

  • TH

    Tyler Hinman

    as Self

  • TP

    Trip Payne

    as Self

  • AS

    Al Sanders

    as Self

  • ER

    Ellen Ripstein

    as Self

  • JD

    Jon Delfin

    as Self

  • MR

    Marc Romano

    as Self

Directed by Patrick Creadon