Mindy and I have Superman tickets for tonight. Big Sunday arts-section “think pieces” in all the major papers tell me that Superman is either gay or Jesus, or possibly both, for all I know, but I just hope the script is snappy and the CGI is okay and Ned Beatty doesn’t return as “Otis.”

At some point this weekend, if you find yourself looking at movie times and Superman is sold out (or if you see it, it sucks, and you want to fly around the earth backward to turn back time) check out Wordplay instead.

Patrick Creadon’s debut documentary is a look at the world of hardcore crossword puzzle solvers. I know, I know, but the poster should have a big blurb at the top saying “It’s better than it sounds!” The film very cannily interviews famous crossword fans from Jon Stewart to Bill Clinton to Mike Mussina (?!) and even edits together footage of each celeb solving the same crossword. The quirky non-famous solvers you meet along the way go head-to-head in a final match (filmed at last year’s American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stamford, Connecticut) that’s as exciting as anything in Spellbound. And the whole thing is anchored by the presence of New York Times crossword editor Will Shortz, whose quiet, easy charisma helps explain the worshipful doe eyes he gets from America’s crossworders.

I chilled with the puzzlers this spring in Stamford, where I was the “guest of honor,” handing out trophies and so forth. I dishonored the “guest of honor” post when I insisted on competing as well, and, awkwardly, had to hand myself a trophy when I somehow won the rookie division. That still meant I was something like 37th overall, though. The Stamford Marriott was full of people who were literally halving my solving times, people who immediately knew that the tricky clue “Count of Monte Cristo” meant “UNODUETRE” (uno, due, tre, get it?) while I was still staring mutely at U _ O _ U E _ _ _.

Here’s me in the rookie division finals–nice headphones, Ken. Photo “borrowed” from Nancy Shack:

It was a great weekend, full of indelible memories. The nice man in the lobby selling books of his particular puzzle niche: pornographic crosswords. Recent Jeopardy! veteran Stella Daily taking 12th place, while wearing crossword-patterned silk pajamas. The angry boos every time sudoku was mentioned (since sudoku can be computer-generated, it has the potential to put a lot of crossword constructors and editors out of work). The lady who assaulted me as soon as I walked into the ballroom: “Are you a real crossword fan, or just an amateur?” she demanded. “Who’s Bambi’s cousin, three letters?” “It’s not his cousin, it’s his aunt!” someone else roared at her. They continued the argument while I backed nervously away. And, most of all, watching a special screening of Wordplay with an audience made up of the other tournament players. If you ever get a chance to watch a movie in a room full of nerds who are all making their film debuts in said movie, do it. You won’t hear much of the dialogue over the squeals of recognition, but it’s still a lot of fun.

Wordplay is currently enjoying a critical consensus of 97% thumbs-up at RottenTomatoes.com, which is probably some kind of non-Pixar record, and it did okay on 45 screens in major markets last weekend, averaging $7,000+ per screen. But I think it has breakout potential–say what you will about crossword solvers, they’re still light-years more interesting than emperor penguins–so give it a boost this weekend with your ticket dollar.

Maybe nobody in Wordplay averts a plane crash, stops a bullet with his eyeball, or leaps tall buildings in a single bound. But you will see Al Sanders solve a Monday Times crossword in two minutes flat. You will believe a man can fly through a crossword.

Edited to add: The great Trip Payne, who took fourth at Stamford this year and stars in Wordplay (among other things, he gives a stirring paean to the letter Q) stopped by the message boards to note that Wordplay goes even wider this weekend, adding over 100 screens.  If you think it’s not playing in your area yet, take another look Friday.