Show Old Game Basis Of Cross Words Italians Assert I M Mussolini's s 's Country However Registers Strong Demand for American Article RO ROME IE April 25 By Dy A. A P. P P.-On P. On the heels of ot the arrival In Italy Haly of oC I Ithe the word cross-word puzzle the claim is put forward that Italy Is the home of or an ancient game which h It Is as asserted asserted asserted as- as was the parent of or the present present present pres pres- ent form of or word cross-word puzzle Although h admitting that the Increasing increasingly In- In I creasing popular puzzle Is of ot I American origin Italian wiseacres wiseacre maintain that a n. word cross-word game a I direct ancestor of ot the modern pastime pastime pastime pas pas- pasI I time was popular for tor man many centuries cen cen- tunes In Italy occupying the tho leisure j cen-j hours of or the of oC family cafes In provincial villages Whether hether or not the claim be well ell founded it is isa a fact tact that the AmerIcan American Amerlean Amer Amer- ican lean Importation is making grea great t headway Within a a. fortnight after the first puzzle was printed by a weekly newspaper nC two other newspapers newspapers newspapers news news- papers only weekly and the other a popular daily dan followed suit each of ot the three sponsors of oC the new game gathe advertising adverting heavily their en enterprise enterprise en- en in introducing the nov nov- elty In addition there have ha arrived dozens of or newspaper articles from Crom the United States and Great Britain describing in somewhat fantastic j I terms and With occasional obvious inaccuracies the hold which the word cross-word puzzle is getting upon the Anglo Saxon peoples Poker bridge and man it is said have been forgotten family conversations conversations conversations con con- consist merely in re requests requests requests re- re quests for advice In solving puzzles dust is allowed to accumulate accumulate accumulate late on radio sets and the authorities authorities authorities ties are considering laws to force the crazed addicts to return to their accustomed tasks |