Second Season for Puzzle Show That Universal Creator Works On

Posted Friday, February 8, 2008 12:00 am

By: E&P Staff The TV game show "Merv Griffin's Crosswords," which made its debut last September, has been renewed for its second season.

"Puzzle master" for the program is Timothy E. Parker, who does crossword features for Universal Press Syndicate and USA Today. He personally constructed and "clued" more than 200 shows for the first season.

Griffin (1925-2007) invited Parker to work on what turned out to be his last show. "Merv called me on my home-office phone in Baltimore and invited me out to Beverly Hills," recalled Parker. "I'll never forget getting off the elevator in his building and looking up to see Merv sitting behind his enormous desk. I was even more thrilled when he told me he solves four crosswords a day but the USA Today puzzle is his favorite."

In addition to working on the show, Parker has edited three "Merv Griffin's Crosswords" books.

Parker (who's also a pastor) is now marketing a 349-page hardcover edition of his "King James Games" puzzle book that features scripture references.

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Second Season for Puzzle Show That Universal Creator Works On

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