Will Shortz, Crossword Editor for The New York Times, Recovering from Stroke

• Will Shortz, longtime crossword editor for the The New York Times, is undergoing rehabilitation after a stroke
• Shortz has edited the crossword for more than 30 years and also serves as Puzzlemaster for NPR
• Representative for The New York Times says Shortz, 71, “it’s expected that [have] full recovery”

Longtime crossword editor for The New York Times is undergoing rehabilitation after a stroke, he revealed this weekend.

Will Shortz, 71, who is also NPR’s Puzzlemaster, revealed his health problems during an appearance at the end of the Sunday Puzzle podcast, where he prepares puzzles for listeners.

“I know our listeners have been wondering about Will, our beloved Puzzlemaster,” host Ayesha Rascoe said near the end of the episode. “And before we go, I wanted to share a special message from the Puzzlemaster himself.”

“Hey guys, this is Will Shortz. I’m sorry I’ve been out the last few weeks,” he said in a recorded message. “I suffered a stroke on February 4 and have been in rehabilitation ever since, but I am making progress. I look forward to coming back with new puzzles soon.”

Will Shortz, crossword editor for The New York Times.

Bennett Raglin/Getty

“A stroke can happen when blood flow to the brain is blocked or there is a sudden bleeding in the brain,” according to the National Institutes of Health, which points out that ischemic stroke, caused by a blockage, accounts for just under 90% of strokes.

It was not revealed what type of stroke Shortz had, but as the Mayo Clinic points out, rehabilitation can range from exercises to improve motor skills to cognitive therapy.

Brian Austin Green says he spent more than 4 years recovering from stroke-like symptoms caused by his diet

Shortz appeared on NPR Weekend edition Sunday since its debut in 1987, NBC News reports, and has been the crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times since 1993, and last year it celebrated its 30th anniversary.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

He is only the fourth person in history to hold that job The New York Timeswho first launched the famous crossword puzzle in 1941.

“When I was a kid, I imagined a life where I’d be sitting in an attic somewhere, putting together my little puzzles for $15 a piece, kind of surviving,” he told NYT 2017 “I actually wrote a paper in eighth grade about what I wanted to do in life, which was to be a professional puzzle maker.”

Will Shortz, crossword editor for The New York Times.

Craig Ruttle/Bloomberg/Getty

On Sunday’s episode of NPR, Rascoe continued, “We here at Weekend edition, we love Will, and I know everyone at home does too. And we’re rooting for him, we’re full of hope and we know he’ll feel better soon.

Greg Pliska, Riddler podcast host who filled in for Shortz on this week’s episode, added: “I know I speak for the entire mystery community and I wish Will the best. He was a great friend of mine for many years. And as much as I love playing the puzzle on air with you, Ayesha, I look forward to playing from home again with you and Will in my Sunday morning pajamas.”

Snoop Dogg’s daughter Cori, 24, shares warning signs of her ‘severe’ stroke: ‘Listen to your body’

The New York Times said Shortz did not immediately respond to questions about when he could return to work, but a media spokesman said the newspaper had been in “regular contact” with him and wished him “the best on his journey to what is expected to be a full recovery. ”

The representative added, “We look forward to bringing him back to work when he is ready.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education