The Puzzle Week: what you don’t know

All over the world – and across all cultures – word games and puzzle solving represent a typical pastime for both young and old. Despite the social media era monopolizing attention on digital formats (more than paper), crossword puzzles continue to hold an important place. What is the longest-running and most popular word game magazine in Italy? Without a doubt, it is the "Settimana Enigmistica", a rich blend of games and history.

History and Founders

The Settimana Enigmistica was born on January 23, 1932, when the first issue of the magazine was published – and since then, the weekly publication has never missed an issue. Its founder and inventor was engineer Giorgio Sisini (1901-1972), of noble Sardinian origin. It is said that Sisini was inspired by the Austrian magazine Das Rätsel and took from it the idea of alternating the gender of the characters on the front page, associating even numbers with males and odd numbers with females.

Magazine Content

The magazine’s issue numbers are progressive and increase every week. All the games inside are gathered in a very rich inventory that changes regularly. There are about 48 pages of ever-new games and pastimes: crosswords, rebuses, riddles, quizzes, curiosities, and jokes. Compared to the past, only the graphics have changed slightly, updated to modern times – but in essence, the magazine remains faithful to its past.

The Educational Role

When crosswords and puzzles first appeared in Italy, the illiteracy rate was very high. However, just a few years later, by 1951, that percentage had drastically dropped, showing how crosswords had contributed to the culture of the country. Even today, puzzle games help keep memory sharp, improve calculations, and stimulate divergent and creative thinking.

Curiosities

Despite living in a super digitalized era, paper purchases of Settimana Enigmistica greatly increase in summer. The editorial office is located in Milan, at Palazzo Vittoria, but almost nothing is known about its editors and illustrators. The magazine’s policy has always been based on privacy and exclusion from the outside world. Settimana Enigmistica is never influenced by any external social or political events.