Timothy Parker (puzzle designer)

In November 1996, Parker started writing a "Daily Crossword" feature. By early 1997, Parker’s puzzle became the "Universal Crossword" syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate to newspapers and clients worldwide. In 1999, together with Universal Press Syndicate’s Uclick division, Parker founded The Puzzle Society, and is the founder and senior editor of the Universal Uclick line of crossword puzzles and games.{{Citation needed|date=September 2017}} On May 19, 2003, Parker became the second crossword editor of USA Today, following Charles Preston.{{Citation needed|date=September 2017}} In summer of 2003, Parker created the "Family Time Crossword".{{Citation needed|date=September 2017}}

On March 4, 2016, the website FiveThirtyEight, in an article by Oliver Roeder, reported that "a group of eagle-eyed puzzlers" had found similarities between 1,537 of the 15,000 puzzles Parker had edited and published through USA Today and Universal Uclick and ones published by The New York Times and other publishers.{{Cite web|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/plagiarism-scandal-leaves-the-crossword-community-puzzled|title=Plagiarism Scandal Leaves the Crossword Community Puzzled|date=2016-03-05|website=Atlas Obscura|access-date=2016-03-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-plagiarism-scandal-is-unfolding-in-the-crossword-world/|title=A Plagiarism Scandal Is Unfolding In The Crossword World|last=Roeder|first=Oliver|website=FiveThirtyEight|date=5 March 2016|language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-06|quote=More broadly, 1,090 Universal puzzles and 447 USA Today puzzles were at least a 75 percent match to an earlier puzzle in the database.}} Ninety-two were similar to ones published by The New York Times and in 699 cases, the previous publisher was either USA Today or Universal.

Parker said he had not deliberately copied any puzzles, and that the repeated themes were coincidental.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2016/mar/07/the-great-us-crossword-plagiarism-mystery|title=The great US crossword 'plagiarism' mystery|last=Connor|first=Alan|date=2016-03-07|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2016-03-10}} On March 7, Universal Uclick and USA Today issued statements saying that Parker had temporarily stepped down from his role as senior editor while an investigation into the plagiarism allegations was underway.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/crossword-world-ruction-n-uproar-over-plagiarism-allegations-n533676|title=Crossword World in a Ruction (n: 'Uproar') Over Plagiarism Allegations|website=NBC News|date=8 March 2016 |access-date=2016-03-10}}{{cite news|last1=DeMara|first1=Bruce|title=Crossword plagiarism scandal sidelines puzzle editor|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/03/13/crossword-plagiarism-scandal-sidelines-puzzle-editor.html|work=The Star|date=13 March 2016|accessdate=15 March 2016}}

On April 18, 2016, Universal Uclick confirmed some of the allegations and said that Parker would take a three-month leave of absence. He would use "the best available technology to ensure that everything he edits is original".{{Cite web|url=http://www.universaluclick.com/press/press_release/196|title=Andrews McMeel Syndication - Home}} On May 10, 2016, USA Today announced that it would not publish any future puzzles from Timothy Parker, although it would continue to use vendor Universal Uclick.[https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/timothy-parker-accused-of-plagiarism-is-out-as-usa-todays-crossword-puzzle-editor/ Timothy Parker, Accused Of Plagiarism, Is Out As USA Today’s Crossword Puzzle Editor] At the end of 2018, Universal Uclick declined to renew its contract with Parker.{{Cite web|url=https://mailtribune.com/news/top-stories/reader-puzzled-over-crossword-writer-change|title=Reader puzzled over crossword writer change}}

In 2006, Parker became the puzzle producer for Merv Griffin's Crosswords.{{Cite news |last=Fessier |first=Bruce |date=September 9, 2007 |title=Griffin's show 'Crosswords' to debut Monday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/194250498/?match=1&terms=%22timothy%20parker%22%20crossword |work=The Desert Sun (Newspapers.com)}} According to a press release from Parker, he wrote all questions for 225 episodes singlehandedly.{{cite news | title =Black History Month Profile: The Puzzle Brain Behind 'Merv Griffin's Crosswords' | publisher =PRWeb| url =http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/02/prweb687744.htm | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220304135027/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/02/prweb687744.htm | url-status =dead | archive-date =March 4, 2022 | access-date =6 May 2017}} In 2008, Parker contributed to the ABC prime time television show The Mole.{{citation needed|reason=couldn't find a source, not common knowledge|date=March 2016}} In addition, Parker has created puzzles that have appeared on The View, Access Hollywood and others.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}}

Parker has written or edited over 50 books, a series of puzzle books for the For Dummies brand, 25 digital games, the annual USA Today Crossword Calendar, and the syndicated Family Time Crossword.

In 2014, Parker co-wrote The Book of Revelation Made Clear with Tim LaHaye, co-creator of the Left Behind series. In 2016, Parker wrote Bible Brilliant, a Bible trivia book published through Baker Publishing.{{cite news | title =TIMOTHY E. PARKER Guinness World Records ′Puzzle Master | publisher =biblebrilliant.com| url =http://biblebrilliant.com/the-author/ | accessdate =6 May 2017}}{{dl|date=April 2025}}

In May 2000, Parker was named "World's Most Syndicated Puzzle Compiler" by Guinness World Records.{{Cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-74094199.html|title=Interview: Timothy Parker discusses being the most syndicated crossword compiler in the world and his career creating puzzles|last=Smiley|first=Tavis|date=2003-05-22|website=NPR (subscription required)|access-date=2016-03-06}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{Cite news |date=February 24, 2003 |title=Puzzle master credits African-American roots |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1121964104/?match=1&terms=%22timothy%20parker%22%20crossword |work=Staten Island Advocate/Advance Feature Services (Newspapers.com)}}{{cite web|website=Guinness World Records|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/74783-most-syndicated-puzzle-compiler|title=Most syndicated puzzle compiler|access-date=April 10, 2025}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Puzzle designers