The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-03-11

fads It's likely that you succYmbed to
the lure of the little black and white
squares. Why did you do it? And why
did the solving of puzzles, which has
been practiced by man since the earli-
est days, wait until 1924 and 1925 to
become a universal pastime?
Here is what DR.. II. e. Jones and
Prescott Leck Of Columbia university,
In a recent article in Popular Science
Monthly, have to say about It:
The second question possibly Ii the
most easily answered.
Crossword puzzles never could have
fiourished in the past, for the reason
that the level Of general education,
even a score OF years ago, was much
lower than at present, and solving the
puzzles requires at least an elementary
education.
Another reason for their success is
that crossword puzzles are almost the
first fad of history the practice of
which costs virtually nothing n re-
quires the development of no special
physical dexterity, the acquisition Of
no unusual equipment, the learning OF
no rules.
To the psychologist. however. readily
occurs an even more potent reason for
the amazing popularity of this newest
fad. Successfully working out cress-
word puzzles, moro than any other
similar amusement of recent history,
satisfies a long list Of the fundamental
desires Of human kind. Social distinc-
ton, sex, imitation, group loyalty, CO.
operation, competition, pleasure, play,
amusement, humor, curiosity, activity
and constructiveness-all of those in
,,-I-a5 t--%I.afIyn ,o-+1
satisfied merely by printing letters in
the proper squares.
Crossword puzzles are supposed by
MANI to increase our power of concen-
t~ration, to help our memory and our
reasoning ability, and, by demanding
decisive judgments, are eve regarded
as an aid to the will. 1t woul require
a whole course In psychology to pre-
sent an adequate criticism of these
views. Suffice II to say that we no
longer believe in vague, general "facul-
ties of the mind. You may strength
en- your biceps by pulling chest weights
n find the increased strength useful
in playing baseball or hoeing potatoes,
but the brain does not behave in the
same way. Mental habits are usually
quite specific, SO, though crossword
puzzles may increase YOU vocabulary
and play a useful role in keeping you
out Of mischief, neither they nor any
other single discipline can be expected
to have much effect in Improving the
mind" The one reason for doing cross
word puzzles Is for the fun Of it. They
are innocent amusement-nothing more
nor less!
Although psychology car explain
much of why we behave like human
beings" it can't explain all of our
apparently unnecessary and meaning
less doings. For superstition comes in
to claim responsibility for making us
do certain things or to refrain from
doing them. For instance why do some
people regard the number Is as un-
lucky, refuse to sleep in Room Is at
a hotel, sit at a table with II other
guests or have a part in any action
In which that number is involved?
Just where this superstition originated
Is unknown. In Biblical days the
Hebrew word for Is was associated
with the word death and in Morse
mythology the number is one Of Ill
omen because of the tradition that
the sun god Ballur had to die because
there were Is gods in Valhalla, an In
tolerable situation. The fear Of Is