Will Shortz celebrated his 30th anniversary as The Times’s Crossword editor this week. He is one of only four Crossword editors since 1942, when the paper began publishing puzzles as a way to offer relief to readers overwhelmed by war news. To mark Will’s anniversary, I interviewed him by email for today’s newsletter. I’m grateful to crossword devotees who suggested some of today’s questions. But what have been the biggest changes to the puzzle during the past 30 years?

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Persons: Will Shortz, ” Lester Markel, Arthur Hays Sulzberger, David Leonhardt, I’ve Locations: Pearl