I have come to know a lot of bright people in my business ventures and personal life. A delightful and sharp friend of mine is Will Shortz, famed editor of The New York Times Crossword Puzzle and editor of many puzzle books.

One time, I ran into Will in the parking lot of hotel playing host to a collectors trade show. I took the opportunity to remind him of a recent acquisition that I had previously offered to sell him. It was an 18th century British periodical containing puzzles, and Will has a world class collection.

I asked him "Will are you interested in that publication that I mentioned to you over the phone called The Weekly Entertainer?"

Will looked at me with serious contemplation and then responded in total seriousness "I might very well be- was it a monthly?"

I couldn't help but laugh- "The Weekly Entertainer is not a monthly Will and what kind of hoax are you perpetrating on the American public, Mr. Puzzlemeister?"

Obviously, Will knew the difference between a Weekly and Monthly and the fact that he did not pick up the clue in the title was simply a lack of focus on his part at that moment- happens to all of us- just ironic when it someone who is constantly figuring out the most complex puzzles!

As for me, once Will gave a number of puzzles to a crowd of us at a convention in Greenwich, CT. After he finished and we all applauded, he looked my way and I made what he took to be the OK sign with my fingers- actually, I was signaling Zero as in how many answers I had come up with during his questioning!