Barry Joseph

I posted really late yesterday so people might not have seen it and I've been asked to repost here as I have a great story to share. As the author of a recent book on Sondheim, his games, and his crossword puzzles, I was excited to see this puzzle. As this is still news to most, I’ll share a little known history behind the song Finishing the Hat. It could have been called Finishing the Game. In 1965 his friend Phyllis Newman had a show flop out of town. He asked what he could do and she said make a game for me when I return. He designed The Murder Game in an overnight 11-hour creative fugue. It was a hit (and has its own story). In the early 80s, creating Sunday in the Park With George, he wanted to write a song about that experience, about disconnecting from the world to pursue a creative pursuit, not to paint something new but to create a playful way for his friends to connect. So now, his song, about a game, has been honored in a crossword. Quite fitting.

As the author of a recent book on Sondheim, his games, and his crossword puzzles, I was excited to see this puzzle. As this is still news to most, I’ll share a little known history behind the song Finishing the Hat. It could have been called Finishing the Game. In 1965 his friend Phyllis Newman had a show flop out of town. He asked what he could do and she said make a game for me when I return. He designed The Murder Game in an overnight 11-hour creative fugue. It was a hit (and has its own story). In the early 80s, creating Sunday in the Park With George, he wanted to write a song about that experience, about disconnecting from the world to pursue a creative pursuit, not to paint something new but to create a playful way for his friends to connect. So now, his song, about a game, has been honored in a crossword. Quite fitting.