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Wonderful World of Words

November 11 – 13, 2022

A wonderful weekend for all those who love language, puzzles, and games!

41 years ago “Words” weekend at Mohonk Mountain House was founded by the late and wonderful Gloria Rosenthal and her husband Larry. The New York Times crossword editor and NPR Puzzle master Will Shortz led the event from 2007–2019, and veteran puzzle hunt constructor Greg Pliska has been program leader since 2020.

Sharpen your pencils, limber up your brain, and match wits with some of the best puzzling minds of our age!

How to Participate:
When making your reservation, please let us know you are interested in attending the Wonderful World of Words.

Availability is limited. For reservations, please call .

PREVIOUS SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Will Shortz

Packet of Puzzles

When you register at the front desk, pick up your packet of word puzzles and contests created by Will Shortz and Greg Pliska. Answers and entries are due back by 12am on Saturday night. There will be a submission box across from the Front Desk in the lobby. Prize winners will be announced on Sunday morning.

Scramble Scrabble 

Gloria and Larry Rosenthal, founders of Words weekend, invented Scramble Scrabble as an exclusive event for the weekend. Join us in the Lake Lounge (with cookies and punch) for this annual favorite.  Seven-member teams scramble to form words using giant letter tiles—bluffing is legal, but so are challenges! The members of the team with the highest cumulative score after three rounds will each receive copies of The New York Times crossword books from St. Martin’s Press.

Greg Pliska

The Puzzlemaster Presents with Will Shortz

Will Shortz has been entertaining and challenging NPR Sunday listeners for many years, and here at Mohonk he presents some new games and group challenges to kick off a Saturday full of puzzling fun.

A Puzzle Hunt by Eric Berlin

In the tradition of the Words Weekend Puzzle Hunts run by Greg Pliska for 13 years, Eric Berlin has created an original suite of puzzles designed for team solving. Come with your own team of four or join a team when you arrive.

Book Signing
Join us in the Lake Lounge for a book-signing session with the weekend’s authors. Afternoon Tea and Cookies will be available from 4 –5pm.

Game Time!

Come gather in the Parlor for an evening of games with old friends, or make new ones. Play one of the brand-new games curated by David Feldman—winner gets to keep the game!—or enjoy a classic from past Words weekends. Words regulars are encouraged to bring their favorite board games and party games, and Greg Pliska will have some fun ideas as well.

Puzzle Packets Due!
12am

All puzzle packet items for all groups must be turned to the submission box across from the Front Desk in the lobby in by 12am tonight.

Will Shortz

And The Winner Is…

Greg Pliska and Will Shortz lead the awards program, revealing solutions to the packet puzzles, reading the wittiest entries in the creative competition, and naming the winners of all the weekend games. Triumphant winners will choose prizes from a wide array of puzzle books from St. Martin’s Press and assorted word games. Leave room in your suitcase!

Availability is limited. For reservations, please call .

MEET OUR PROGRAM LEADERS

Greg Pliska

Greg Pliska

A composer and orchestrator, Greg Pliska has been solving and creating puzzles since he could read. He has been a puzzle writer and presenter for public radio’s Ask Me Another and A Way With Words, as well as a regular contributor to the MIT Mystery Hunt. Under the auspices of his company, Exaltation of Larks, he creates puzzle hunts for corporate, academic and individual clients. Greg has scored films, television shows, musicals, and opera, and his orchestrations can be heard every morning on NPR and at night on CBS Evening News. His latest film project, Push, is now streaming, and he has two shows, Trevor the Musical, and The Alchemist, running off-Broadway.

Will Shortz

Will Shortz

Will Shortz is the crossword editor of The New York Times, puzzlemaster for NPR’s Weekend Edition, and founder/director of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. He directed Words from 2007 until 2019 and is the only person to have attended every Words weekend since the beginning in 1982. Will owns the Westchester Table Tennis Center in his hometown of Pleasantville, N.Y.

Eric Berlin

Eric Berlin has had dozens of crosswords and other puzzles published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere. He has created live puzzle events for the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, the Connecticut Library Association, and New York City’s Museum of Mathematics, among others. Eric is the constructor behind Puzzlesnacks, a “snack-sized” weekly variety puzzle. In 2019, a collection of his Puzzlesnacks was published by Simon & Schuster.

When you visit during Wonderful World of Words, your overnight package includes:

  • Three meals daily featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients from our farm-to-table partners. See our full list of dining options>
  • Access to more than 85 miles of scenic hiking trails
  • Yoga, Meditation, and Fitness classes
  • Afternoon tea and cookies in our historic Lake Lounge
  • Make an appointment to visit our Greenhouse
  • Indoor heated pool with underwater music
  • Guided hikes and outdoor activities with our Recreation team
  • Nightly evening entertainment, special events, and more! See activities schedule>

Seasonal Activities

À la carte experiences available to overnight guests:

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