Maura Bandler Jacobson

Maura B. Jacobson, New York magazine's well-loved crossword compiler, died on Christmas Day in White Plains, New York. She was 91.
A Brooklyn native, Maura was born on April 28th, 1926, and graduated from New York City's Hunter College at 19 years of age. Her career began as a kindergarten teacher in the Bronx, where she lived, married and had one child. In 1964, she became a three-times Jeopardy! winner when the television show was just three weeks old.
Maura soon turned her intelligence towards constructing crossword puzzles. Teaching herself the art and carefully honing it over the following years, it wasn't long before she began submitting puzzles to New York Times for its Sunday magazine.
Maura worked for Cue magazine for two-and-a-half years, until the publication was taken over by New York magazine in 1980, and her first byline appeared on its pack page on May 19th. For the next three decades Maura never missed one week, and developing a faithful and enthusiastic fan base across the United States in the process.
With her considerable creativity and vivacious vocabulary, she routinely tested and delighted her loyal following with her wit and punning - indeed many fans claimed they owed their entire magazine subscription alone to her puzzles.
A best-selling author of more than 25 crossword books, her work was described by former New York Times Crossword Puzzle Editor Will Weng as: "...piquing your interest from the start, and holding it with wittiness, inventiveness and pleasant variety." The newspaper said she was ‘revered among puzzle devotees', and American Crossword Puzzle Tournament founder and director Will Shortz said Maura was ‘a national treasure.'
A judge and annual contributor to the national competition for more than 30 years, Maura finally hung up her pencil in 2011 and was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the panel of the tournament in 2016.
Maura passed away peacefully on Monday with her family and devoted husband of 69 years, Dr. Jerome Jacobson, at her side. She leaves behind her husband Jerome, daughter Jo, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.