Eugene Maleska

Eugene Thomas Maleska was an American crossword puzzle constructor and editor who served as The New York Times crossword editor from 1977 to 1993. He was also an educator, having worked as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent in New Jersey and New York public schools, and created innovative puzzles including Stepquote, Cryptoquote, and Diagonogram[1][4]. Maleska wrote poetry and books on crosswords and word origins, including "Across and Down" and "A Pleasure in Words"[1][3].

Jersey City, New Jersey, USA Jan 6, 1916 Wikipedia
crossword puzzles poetry non-fiction