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Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

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Emily Cox
Henry Rathvon

Emily CoxandHenry Rathvonare a married, retired Americanpuzzle-writing team. They wrote the "Atlantic Puzzler", a monthlycryptic crosswordinThe Atlanticmagazine, from September 1977 to October 2009,[1][2]and wrote cryptic crosswords every four weeks forThe Wall Street Journalfrom 2010 to 2023.[3]

Often published under the pseudonymHex,Cox and Rathvon are considered pioneers of the American cryptic crossword and remain among the form's greatest exponents.[4][5][6]Their first efforts were inspired by attempts to follow in the footsteps ofStephen SondheimandRichard Maltby, Jr.atNew Yorkmagazine.[3]

Cryptic Crosswords forThe Atlanticand theThe Wall Street Journal[edit]

Their first cryptic puzzle forThe Atlantic,on 1 Sep 1977, was entitled "Short and Sweet." They wrote a total of 370 puzzles forThe Atlantic,[3]although, beginning in March 2006, the Atlantic Puzzler was published online-only.[4]

Their first cryptic for theWall Street Journalin January 2010 subtly announced their new home; it was entitled "Relocation." The instructions began,

It’s Moving Day! We’ve packed everything into 143 boxes and left it for you, dear solver, to figure out what goes where.[7]

"Relocation" was the first of 181 Journal puzzles.[3]

All of their puzzles forThe AtlanticandThe Wall Street Journalare available online.[3]

Retirement[edit]

They retired in December 2023. Their retirement was announced, cryptically, in their 16 Dec 2023 WSJ Saturday Variety Puzzle, "Departure."[8]

Other Work[edit]

They also createdacrosticsand cryptic crosswords for theNew York Times,cryptics for Canada'sNational Post,puzzles for theUS Airwaysin-flight magazine, and (withHenry Hook) Sunday crosswords for theBoston Globe.

In 2007, they created an elaborate marriage proposal for two aficionados of the SundayBoston Globe Magazinecrossword. Aric Egmont and Jennie Bass, a young couple in Boston, shared a love of crossword puzzles, and were accustomed to doing the Sunday crossword puzzle together. Intending to propose, and hoping for a great surprise, Aric approachedDoug Most,the editor of theGlobe Magazine,and through him, Cox and Rathvon, soliciting a special crossword. Cox and Rathvon's puzzle, "Popping the Question," appeared on Sunday 23 Sep 2007, and was filled both with personal references for Jennie — the names of her friend, her sister, and even Egmont's name — and with various clued clever forms of marriage proposal. The answer to "A poker player's proposal" was "May I have your hand," and to "Macrame artist's proposal" was "Let's tie the knot." The two most significant clues were 111 across, "Generic Proposal," a typically cryptic homophonic clue combining "Jen" and "Aric," and 116 across, "Winston's mother." The answers, of course, were "Will you marry me?" and "Jennie." Her answer was an emphatic "Yes."[9][10]

In 2005, Rathvon's playTrapezium,a comedy iniambic pentameter,was produced by theOrlando-UCFShakespeareFestival. The play was also performed at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford, CT in 2010.[11]

Personal life[edit]

Cox's parents were the pianist Shirley Louise (néePeet) Cox and the Rev. Dr. Howard H. Cox.[12]From a young age, Emily showed interest in playing trombone, painting suspension bridges,[13]reading about science matters, and rock climbing.[14]

Cox and Rathvon, who are married,[15]at one point lived inHershey, Pennsylvania.

References[edit]

  1. ^Arnot, Michelle (August 5, 2008).Four-Letter Words: And Other Secrets of a Crossword Insider.Penguin. p. 78.ISBN978-0-399-53435-5.RetrievedApril 16,2011.
  2. ^"Biography".The Atlantic Monthly.
  3. ^abcdeCox, Emily; Rathvon, Henry."Cryptic Puzzles by Emily Cox & Henry Rathvon".Cox Rathvon (Hex).RetrievedFebruary 17,2024.
  4. ^abLaFrance, Adrienne (October 1, 2018)."Introducing The Atlantic Crossword".The Atlantic.RetrievedFebruary 17,2023.
  5. ^Kosman, Joshua; Picciotto, Henri (September 12, 2013)."Cryptic Royalty".The Nation.RetrievedFebruary 17,2023.
  6. ^Zimmer, Ben (December 4, 2021)."Stephen Sondheim Didn't Just Change Musicals. He Changed Crosswords".Slate.RetrievedFebruary 17,2023.
  7. ^ Cox, Emily; Rathvon, Henry."Relocation".Cox Rathvon (Hex).RetrievedFebruary 19,2024.
  8. ^Cox, Emily; Rathvon, Henry."Departure (Saturday Variety Puzzle, December 16)".The Wall Street Journal.Dow Jones & Company, Inc.RetrievedFebruary 17,2024.
  9. ^"111 Across: Will You Marry Me? Puzzle lover plants marriage proposal in the Boston Globe's Sunday crossword".ABC News.ABC News. September 25, 2007.RetrievedFebruary 19,2024.
  10. ^"My Jumbo Valentine: How to Propose with Style and What To Do If You're Jilted at the Altar".Tufts Magazine.Tufts University. Winter 2008.RetrievedFebruary 19,2024.
  11. ^https:// playhouseonpark.org/pop/20092010Season/playsandmusicals_trapezium.html
  12. ^Popichak, Josh (November 21, 2020)."Shirley Louise (Peet) Cox, 92, of Bethlehem (Obituary)".sauconsource.RetrievedFebruary 17,2023.
  13. ^"Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon".The Atlantic.RetrievedJanuary 16,2018.
  14. ^Horne, Jim (November 8, 2008)."Acrostics Creators".The New York Times.RetrievedJanuary 16,2018.
  15. ^"Man uses crossword puzzle for marriage proposal".The Standard-Times.September 25, 2007.RetrievedFebruary 17,2023.
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