Judge — October 23, 1926 — page 35: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a crossword puzzle competition rather than political satire. Judge magazine ran weekly crossword puzzles and paid $25 for submissions—a substantial sum in the early 20th century. The puzzle shown here was submitted by a contributor from Washington, D.C. The cartoon elements are purely decorative: playful illustrations of characters complaining about crosswords ("But I don't want to solve a crossword puzzle!") and a character saying "Don't shoot—solution next week!" These reflect the era's popular frustration with the newly trendy crossword puzzle craze. The page's main function is recreational: offering puzzle entertainment while soliciting reader submissions. The only notable requirement is that puzzles "must be funny"—indicating Judge's expectation that even word games should align with the magazine's satirical, humorous mission.