Wordplay

Patrick Creadon’s documentary about the New York Times crossword puzzle’s creators and fans is a positively joyful movie that will appeal even to audiences who have little affinity for the mind-bending puzzles. Celebrities like President Bill Clinton, Yankee baseball pitcher Mike Mussina, and comedian Jon Stewart play peanut gallery to the bulk of the movie which focuses on the top competitors at the annual Stamford, Connecticut crossword puzzle tournament as they work toward the big competition. New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz gets plenty of screentime as he elaborates on the process of creating the most highly regarded crossword puzzles in the world.

Rated PG. 84 mins. (B+) (Three Stars)