Screen Lingo

Spelling bees are for kids, and Scrabble is for family fun time. Crossword puzzles are where it's really at if you truly love words. As a person who attacks every puzzle I see with a pen, I have to admit that Will Shortz, puzzle editor of The New York Times crossword, is one of my idols. You want proof of his genius? The day before the '96 presidential election, Shortz created a puzzle where the answer to a "tomorrow's headline" clue could be either "Clinton Elected" or "Bob Dole Elected," with both answers resulting in solvable puzzles. You try figuring that one out, buddy. With cameos by Jon Stewart, Mike Mussina, Clinton and Dole, Wordplay is a documentary about Shortz, his two babies (The New York Times puzzle and the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament) and the people who love them. The doc shows as part of the Magnolia at the Modern film series Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St. Tickets are $7.50. Visit themodern.org.
Fri., July 7, 6 & 8 p.m.; Sat., July 8, 5 p.m.; Sun., July 9, 2 & 4 p.m.