Word Nerd

Bob Otto is America’s second favorite cruciverbalist (someone skillful in creating or solving crossword puzzles) and the host of his very own syndicated television game show, Word Nerd. But when the show’s producers devise a questionable plan to boost the show’s falling ratings, Bob is faced with a difficult choice. Should he maintain his personal and professional integrity, or do whatever it takes to save the show from its imminent cancellation? Bob’s elaborate otto-sey brings him to every corner of the entertainment world, eventually landing him right back on his own show—but now disguised as a contestant, the eccentric Frenchman Léon Noël. Word Nerd is a laugh-out-loud story of passion, redemption, and keeping close those who matter most.

Staged reading produced by Yale Undergraduate Productions, Spring 2022