A strange little side quest
Zoom out from The Sorcerer 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. Another piece of context lands nicely beside it: A major archery competition held at Finsbury in England in 1583 drew about 3,000 participants. The screen is modern; the urge to test skill, pattern and timing definitely is not.