A strange little side quest
A small trivia drop for Bouncing Balls: The first crossword puzzle book appeared in 1924 in a cautious initial printing of 3,600 copies, complete with a free pencil. There is another connection worth keeping in the same mental pocket: A major archery competition held at Finsbury in England in 1583 drew about 3,000 participants. The details change, but the appeal of learning a system and trying again is remarkably persistent.