Solving the puzzle: Crosswords, anorexia, and me

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Anna Shechtman began writing crossword puzzles as a teenager - but developed an eating disorder around the same time. She became one of the youngest crossword creators to publish a puzzle in the New York Times newspaper and now writes crosswords for the New Yorker magazine, but during her recovery she sometimes feared that her illness and her love of creating crosswords were inextricably linked. She tells Emily Webb about the art of cruciverbalism, 'crossworld', and why the creation of crossword clues is a political act. In South Africa, Nathi Mankayi has been winning millions of fans, and many awards, with his heartfelt songs. He writes them from experience and he has had quite an experience. Poverty, crime and an eight-year prison sentence. But in just a few years he's gone from inmate to one of South Africa's top selling recording artists. Outlook's Mpho Lakaje spoke to him. This interview was first broadcast in 2019. Get in touch: [email protected] Presenter: Emily Webb (Photo: Anna Shechtman. Courtesy of Emily Shechtman)