Solving the puzzle: Crosswords, anorexia, and me
Anna Shechtman is one of the youngest crossword creators ever to have a puzzle published in the New York Times 鈥� she tells Emily Webb why writing these puzzles is a political act.
Anna Shechtman began writing crossword puzzles as a teenager - but developed an eating disorder around the same time. She became one of the youngest crossword creators to publish a puzzle in the New York Times newspaper and now writes crosswords for the New Yorker magazine, but during her recovery she sometimes feared that her illness and her love of creating crosswords were inextricably linked.
She tells Emily Webb about the art of cruciverbalism, 'crossworld', and why the creation of crossword clues is a political act.
In South Africa, Nathi Mankayi has been winning millions of fans, and many awards, with his heartfelt songs. He writes them from experience and he has had quite an experience. Poverty, crime and an eight-year prison sentence. But in just a few years he's gone from inmate to one of South Africa's top selling recording artists. Outlook's Mpho Lakaje spoke to him. This interview was first broadcast in 2019.
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Presenter: Emily Webb
(Photo: Anna Shechtman. Courtesy of Emily Shechtman)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Tue 25 Jan 2022 12:06GMT大象传媒 World Service
- Tue 25 Jan 2022 18:06GMT大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Tue 25 Jan 2022 23:06GMT大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Wed 26 Jan 2022 03:06GMT大象传媒 World Service
Contact Outlook
Info on how we might use your contribution on air
Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary
Step into someone else鈥檚 life and expect the unexpected