Who won the Academy Award for best actress in 1993? What's another word for "nerd"? If you're a modern puzzler, you need not only a quick and easy reference, but a book that is as interesting and intelligent as the puzzles of today -- and the people who solve them.

The Crossword Puzzle Dictionary section is brimming with more than 200,000 words organized by letter count and synonym. Looking for an 11-letter word for "knotted"? It's not too complicated:

knotted: 5 kinky; 6 gnarly, kinked, knotty, snarly; 7 gnarled, knobbed, raveled, snarled, tangled; 8 involved; 9 entangled, intricate, perplexed; 11 complicated; 12 inextricable

The Reference Book section is jam-packed with up-to-date lists of awards, important figures, records, and happenings in a wide variety of fields, including sports, history, literature, film, music, and politics. It's just what you need to stir your memory, brainstorm ideas, get out of a rut, and maybe even learn something new.

The Simon & Schuster Super Crossword Puzzle Dictionary and Reference Book brings together the solid information of an almanac, the word power of Roget's, and the quirkiness of a trivia collection all in one place. Eminently practical, this fun- and fact-filled volume, bursting with all manner of information, belongs in the library of every puzzle aficionado.