The New York Times received backlash on Sunday after posting a crossword puzzle that some users believed resembled the swastika, the Nazi sign of hatred used during World War II. For added drama, the puzzle was released on the first day of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday, at a time when antisemitic incidents were on the rise in the United States.
Creator and consulting manager for the Washington Post’s Sunday crossword, Ryan McCarty of Washington, DC, noted in the puzzle review’s constructor notes that the crossword was shaped like a “whirlpool.” When his first Sunday puzzle was published in The Times, McCarty exclaimed, “I’m overjoyed. Because it covers so many ground, the open middle of this grid is one of my favorites. A 15×15 grid was my first attempt, but I ultimately decided to expand it to create a Sunday-sized puzzle with a fascinating whirlpool design. All the best!
Several Twitter users, however, disagreed with McCarty’s assessment and claimed the puzzle was more closely resembling a swastika. Tweeted In the words of Donald Trump Jr., “Disgusting!” This Chanukah-themed crossword puzzle is a New York Times original. Try to picture what they would do to someone who committed this act but did not share their ideologies. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that they’d give me. The answer is “NOT ONE IN THE LEAST.” According to a group of Zionist Jewish academics and students at City University of New York and Keith Edwards, the head of communications for Nikki Fried for Governor, the mystery appeared to be a swastika. Edwards tweeted, “The New York Times crossword puzzle for the first day of Hanukka.” How bizarre! @nytimes.”
The Washington Examiner reported that Jordan Cohen, executive director of communications at the New York Times, said that the puzzle’s format is standard fare in the crossword community. A standard crossword layout, per Cohen: The principles of rotational symmetry and black squares lead to a common spiral pattern in many crosswords’ open grids.
Players of the New York Times crossword puzzle have previously charged that the paper included antisemitic references in some of the puzzles. In 2017, the journal received similar criticism for publishing a puzzle with swastika-like features. The New York Times replied with a tweet saying, “Yes, hi. In other words, it’s not a Swastika. candor with God. No one begins a crossword with the words “Hey! Are you aware of any trendy options?
The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights organization, reported 2,717 incidents of antisemitic assault, harassment, and vandalism in the United States in 2021, a 34% increase from the previous year. This is the largest number of attacks by the group since its inception in 1979. Joe Biden is expected to speak at the White House on Monday night, where he will presumably address and condemn the growing threat of antisemitism in the United States.
![](https://roaringright.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/fb.png)
For More Great Conservative Content
Follow us on Twitter at @roaringright for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read and share our articles on Social media.
To keep up to date on the latest in conservative news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE