The Star's record-breaking crossword king Roger dies at 91
World-beating crossword king Roger Squires, the most prolific crossword compiler in history, has died at the age of 91.
In a crossword career spanning nearly 55 years before his retirement in 2017 he had approaching 80,000 crosswords published in 592 outlets in over 30 countries, with nearly 2.5 million clues set.
Roger, who lived in Ironbridge, was a legend in cruciverbalist circles, and his achievements were recognised by Guinness World Records.
His first published crossword was in the Express & Star – not, as is often wrongly claimed, in the Radio Times – and he was to produce crosswords for, among others, various national papers, as well as the Express & Star and Shropshire Star.
He used pseudonyms so, for example, for the Guardian he was Rufus, for the Financial Times he was Dante, and he was Hodge, Bower and Icarus for the Independent.
The Guardian cryptically announced his passing through incorporating several old Rufus clues in a prize crossword this month.
Although best known for his crossword feats, he had also enjoyed a showbiz career which included being an actor, compere, magician, playwright and comedian. He had also cheated death as a naval airman when he survived a tragic aircraft accident.
Tribute was paid to him in a slot on the Jeremy Vine show in which the host described him as "pretty much the most famous crossword compiler in history".
BBC media and arts correspondent David Sillito said: "Roger Squires always wanted to delight, rather than defeat, his audience."
The funeral is at 1.30pm on July 4 at Telford Crematorium.
Roger was born in Sandy Lane, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton. There was a field next to Burland Avenue where he and his childhood pals would play football and when Billy Wright signed for Wolves he had digs in Burland Avenue and would join in with their kickabouts, occasionally bringing others, including Johnny Hancocks.
Roger went to Wolverhampton Grammar School and left at 15 to join the Royal Navy, serving in the Fleet Air Arm as an Observer flying from aircraft carriers.
He became a member of the exclusive Goldfish Club for ditched aircrew when the Gannet plane from HMS Hermes he was in stalled at 300ft while approaching to land and crashed into the sea off Sri Lanka.
He escaped from 60ft beneath the sea, but sadly the pilot died.
It was Roger's hobby being a magician which led indirectly to him starting to compile crosswords.
