We’re told that they give us a mental workout, but the evidence suggests it’s a bit more complicated …

Miriam Raphael, 98, is a veteran puzzler. As a child, she pored over clues with her father and, later, as a teacher and mother of three daughters, it became her small daily luxury. When she learned of the first annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, her competitive streak kicked in and she entered, winning the second tournament in 1979. More than 40 years on, she is the tournament’s most decorated competitor.

When she speaks to me on Zoom from her New York home (at a time compatible with her water aerobics and yoga classes) she has the astute air you might expect of a woman who has spent nearly a century successfully returning the names of French monarchs, obscure musical instruments and meteorological phenomena.