A strange little side quest
Between one round of Monsters Boom! and the next, this is worth knowing: 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: Chess changed dramatically in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries when the queen became the board's most powerful piece. That history is one reason familiar mechanics can still feel new when they are recombined well.
