Meet the Creator
Jan Buckner Walker, President and Chief Cruciverbalist
Jan has always believed that most things are more fun if you do them together. Growing up in Silver Spring, Maryland, she was an imaginative child who treasured opportunities to share time with her parents, as long as it involved laughter and fun. The same was true of school -- learning was fine, but at times, it seemed a bit monotonous and ominously serious. One day, she'd do something about that.
A self-professed "word nerd," Jan went on to college, majoring in journalism and taking on newspaper internships during the summers. Soon after, she attended and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania law school and then headed for life as a corporate attorney in suburban Chicago, where she found herself with a heavy workload (and travel schedule to match) and little spare time. But she discovered something between the airports and the friendly skies -- an urge to exercise her creative muscles whenever an idea and a spare moment collided. One day, she envisioned a unique crossword puzzle -- a collaborative activity that children and adults could solve together and enjoy quality time. The idea sat for awhile in her desk drawer at work, but a few years later, at the urging of her parents and husband, she plunged into the world of crossword puzzle construction, learning how to construct grids, develop themes, write clever clues and otherwise weave words into fun. She called the activity Kids Across Parents Down and began contacting newspapers, starting with her hometown paper, The Washington Post. Within weeks, the puzzle launched and was an immediate hit. Offers arrived from the major syndicates to take the puzzle nationwide and within less than a year, the crossword had become the #1 family puzzle in newspapers and also spawned a book series based on the concept.
Later, while grabbing a bite to eat, Jan and her husband, Reginald, noticed that, after ordering their food, families had little to do with their time but wait. Some restaurants offered kids' menus, but most contained coloring and other solitary activities and none offered an opportunity for kids and parents to talk to each other. She thought -- and restaurants like Cracker Barrel and McDonald's immediately agreed -- that KAPD might be just the thing for families dining out. KAPD's partnerships flourished, creating innovative menus with family activities that subtly steer kids and parents toward healthy eating choices.
In speaking at schools across the country, Jan discovered that KAPD had become a hit among teachers, too, who use the puzzle to provide a lively classroom activity. Teachers, who all enjoyed the popular puzzle themes, shared that they would love to see curriculum-based puzzles that could be projected on SmartBoards and ActivBoards. In response to that call, Jan has launched Kids Across Teachers Down and is rapidly developing fresh, new content for grades pre-K through 6. In addition, she is working on the launch of two KAPD iPad/iPhone apps for use in schools and at home.
KAPD is truly a family business. Jan operates as President and Chief Cruciverbalist (a way-too-lofty word for crossword puzzle constructor). Reginald serves as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Constant Clue Consultant (CCC). Her parents, both educators, offer ideas and expertise in the development of the educational products and her sister, Lori, an experienced news editor, provides ongoing editorial consultation. As she likes to say, "Life can be puzzling, but the good news is that puzzling is lots of fun."
A self-professed "word nerd," Jan went on to college, majoring in journalism and taking on newspaper internships during the summers. Soon after, she attended and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania law school and then headed for life as a corporate attorney in suburban Chicago, where she found herself with a heavy workload (and travel schedule to match) and little spare time. But she discovered something between the airports and the friendly skies -- an urge to exercise her creative muscles whenever an idea and a spare moment collided. One day, she envisioned a unique crossword puzzle -- a collaborative activity that children and adults could solve together and enjoy quality time. The idea sat for awhile in her desk drawer at work, but a few years later, at the urging of her parents and husband, she plunged into the world of crossword puzzle construction, learning how to construct grids, develop themes, write clever clues and otherwise weave words into fun. She called the activity Kids Across Parents Down and began contacting newspapers, starting with her hometown paper, The Washington Post. Within weeks, the puzzle launched and was an immediate hit. Offers arrived from the major syndicates to take the puzzle nationwide and within less than a year, the crossword had become the #1 family puzzle in newspapers and also spawned a book series based on the concept.
Later, while grabbing a bite to eat, Jan and her husband, Reginald, noticed that, after ordering their food, families had little to do with their time but wait. Some restaurants offered kids' menus, but most contained coloring and other solitary activities and none offered an opportunity for kids and parents to talk to each other. She thought -- and restaurants like Cracker Barrel and McDonald's immediately agreed -- that KAPD might be just the thing for families dining out. KAPD's partnerships flourished, creating innovative menus with family activities that subtly steer kids and parents toward healthy eating choices.
In speaking at schools across the country, Jan discovered that KAPD had become a hit among teachers, too, who use the puzzle to provide a lively classroom activity. Teachers, who all enjoyed the popular puzzle themes, shared that they would love to see curriculum-based puzzles that could be projected on SmartBoards and ActivBoards. In response to that call, Jan has launched Kids Across Teachers Down and is rapidly developing fresh, new content for grades pre-K through 6. In addition, she is working on the launch of two KAPD iPad/iPhone apps for use in schools and at home.
KAPD is truly a family business. Jan operates as President and Chief Cruciverbalist (a way-too-lofty word for crossword puzzle constructor). Reginald serves as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Constant Clue Consultant (CCC). Her parents, both educators, offer ideas and expertise in the development of the educational products and her sister, Lori, an experienced news editor, provides ongoing editorial consultation. As she likes to say, "Life can be puzzling, but the good news is that puzzling is lots of fun."
