A strange little side quest
Zoom out from Monsters Await at Raven Estate for a moment and the timeline gets surprisingly deep. The first crossword puzzle book appeared in 1924 in a cautious initial printing of 3,600 copies, complete with a free pencil. A second detail makes the picture even better: The word 'checkmate' is linked to the Persian expression 'shah mat', used when the king was trapped. That is the kind of background detail that makes another attempt at Monsters Await at Raven Estate feel a bit more connected to the history of play.
