Heaneyland!

Think of the cruciverbalists! Oh, won't someone think of the cruciverbalists?

Someone in Cheboygan is thinking about the future.

What is going to become of the crossword puzzle industry when parents stop giving their children names such as Otto?

Otto is popular with puzzle makers because it has two vowels in the space of four letters. The "T's" also are welcome because they are common to many words.

The trouble is that you rarely run into anybody named Otto any more.

Apparently he didn't see The Two Towers. We're good for a while on the "Otto" thing, thanks.

But he does bring up a question. Are minor celebrities apt to stay in the public eye longer if their names commonly come up in crosswords? Why else, after all, would anyone still remember Charlotte Rae, Polly Holliday (star of "Flo"), Conrad Bain, or Inga Swenson, if not for the needs of crossword writers? Therefore, it may be a savvy career move for people who are planning to push their children into show business to give them crossword-friendly names, perhaps even ones that are entirely made up, like Iula, Anir, Mora, or Selt.

Or not.

Posted by Francis at 12:27 AM