Harvard History | February 10, 2017

Harvard Magazine puzzle master retires

A longtime contributor hangs up his pencil.

From The March-April 2017 Issue

John de Cuevas

Long-time Harvard Magazine crossword-puzzle master John de Cuevas ’52 has hung up his pencil, explaining, “I turned 86 last October and in the last few years have experienced a slackening of mental and physical powers.” He continues to create puzzles for his website, “but the extra ones I was doing for Harvard are more than I can manage now.” We thank him for bringing pleasure to puzzle-doers for decades. His full notice appears at harvardmag.com/decuevas-17—complete with a reproduction of his devilish creation for the University’s 350th anniversary, from the September-October 1986 issue.

~ The Editors

Published in the March-April 2017 print issue under the headline “86 Across,” in the Letters section.

You might also like

A man in a tuxedo gestures while holding an award on a stage.

Graduates John Lithgow, Bill Rauch, and Bess Wohl took home prizes on Sunday night.

Star-filled night sky with the Milky Way arching over a rocky silhouette.

There’s a growing movement to curb light pollution. It starts on your front porch.

Black and white photo of Joseph Murray in a white lab coat sitting in an office.

Nobel Prize recipient Joseph E. Murray dedicated much of his career to organ transplant surgery.

Most popular

A blue refrigerator covered with animal pictures, notes, and drawings, surrounded by greenery.

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

Soccer player and goalkeeper Matt Freese standing in front of the net

The former economics concentrator brings his talent for crunching numbers to netminding.

Three smiling individuals in business attire, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Massachusetts Hall at Harvard Red brick building with a large clock on top, surrounded by green trees.

University News

With a grade inflation vote and in the courts, the University argued that it’s taking steps to change.

Aerial view of modern high-rise buildings surrounded by greenery and city skyline.

Architecture & Design

In a sea of red brick, the Science Center and Peabody Terrace make their mark.

A woman with long, silver hair rests her chin on her hand, wearing a black top.

Arts & Culture

Author and Harvard Divinity School writer-in-residence Terry Tempest Williams finds beauty in the world around us.