Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Puzzle Behind the Genius

Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Puzzle Behind the Genius

For decades, Stephen Sondheim has been celebrated as a titan of musical theater. But a new book, Matching Minds with Sondheim, by game designer and educator Barry Joseph, reveals a side of the legendary composer that few know about: his lifelong passion for games and puzzles. This isn’t just another book on Sondheim; it’s a deep dive into the mind of a master puzzle maker.

Joseph’s journey began with a surprising anecdote. While reading an oral history about the creation of Sunday in the Park with George, he discovered that in the early 1980s, Sondheim was so disillusioned by the critical failure of Merrily We Roll Along that he considered leaving musical theater to design video games. This revelation, combined with the lack of information on the subject, sent Joseph on a mission to uncover the puzzle-filled life of Stephen Sondheim.

The Architect of Games

Joseph’s research uncovered a wealth of new information, revealing a playful side of Sondheim that was a constant thread throughout his career. Joseph discovered that Sondheim:

Was a puzzle editor: From 1968 to 1969, Sondheim was the founding puzzle editor for New York Magazine, where he wrote a weekly cryptic crossword, a style of…