Nancy Schuster - A Puzzle Tester Pioneer

Nancy Schuster was a pioneering and passionate puzzle tester and creator who became a media sensation in the 1970s. She proved that anyone with a mind for puzzles and the right attitude can make a lifelong career in the industry – even a Queens housewife like her.

A lot of people will say they have been into puzzles all their life. But, few can compete with Nancy Schuster when it comes to life experience. This woman was a massive influence on the industry throughout her life and had a passion for puzzles from a very early age.

Nancy Jane Schuster was born on July 13th, 1933, in the Bronx. By the age of 9, she was helping her father complete the New York Times Crossword – unaware that she was later working on creating her own. Nancy was clearly a bright girl and attended both the Bronx High School of Science and Adelphi University on Long Island. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1953 and soon became a research assistant in New York. In 1958, she gave that up to have her son, Gary.

First Champion of Crossword Puzzle Entertainment

The event that made Nancy a star was the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. The first-ever contest took place in 1978, with a grand prize of $125. She would also take second place at the event the following year. At the time, Nancy downplayed her skills. She saw herself as just another housewife from Queens. This idea of an everyday New York woman making it through this difficult competition made her endearing. As soon as it was clear she was the front-runner, the media began showcasing her and covering her story from the Stamford hotel. It seems Nancy wanted to hide her skills somewhat – maybe out of modesty or maybe to stay under the radar – because she was already involved in the puzzle world, by this point. She was working freelance as a puzzle editor for Dell and had success as a puzzle creator.

From Creating Puzzles

In addition to her work with Dell, Nancy had been a puzzle creator for her son’s school PTA newspaper. This was her first time creating puzzles and not just solving them, and she became hooked instantly. She admits the first offering wasn’t great, but it lit a fire under her to create more and improve. She joked that the addiction was so strong that she ended up neglecting her duties as a housewife. All that paid off, however, once it came time to enter the competitor and start her new career. She also submitted puzzles to various outlets and saw an early puzzle in Harper’s Bazaar in 1969.

There were 12 New York Times crosswords in her name across her career. The first was in 1965 and the last in 1997, proving she never lost the gift in later life. She was also keen to support the next generations of puzzle enthusiasts and pass on her passion and knowledge. She would hold holiday gatherings at her home in Queens and encourage people to broaden their skills.

Ultimately, it didn’t matter how experienced or academic this Queens housewife was. People loved her and celebrated her victory over the other competitors. This apparent underdog soon became an inspiration for others. Women were smart and talented enough to be part of the industry, and if Nancy could win the national championship, so could they.

To Testing Puzzles

Following the 1978 competition, Nancy went on to compete in other competitions across the world. She took her skills and new-found fame all across Europe and even down to Brazil. Her relationship with Dell continued, as she was promoted to editor-in-chief for their puzzle section in 1988. She also continued to submit work to publications, such as the New York Times and became a tester for their puzzles.

Nancy stayed active in the world of puzzles throughout her life. She continued to test puzzles and answers with Will Shortz – legendary New York Times crossword creator – right up until her 90th birthday, she was also given a certificate of appreciation for participating 40 years on the tournament.