NY Times Crossword

December 20, 2023

Brad Wiegmann

 

The three clues below hint at two well-known pen names. What are they?

 

1. Women of letters

2. Steering columns

3. Pointer sisters

 

Answers:

 

Dear Abby and Ann Landers

 

Dear Abby and Ann Landers were the pen names of two widely syndicated newspaper advice columnists.  Twin sisters born in 1918 in Sioux City, Iowa, Abby was Pauline Esther Friedman and Ann was Esther Pauline Friedman, daughters of Russian Jewish immigrants. (They had two older sisters - Helen and Dorothy). Abby's nickname was Popo and Ann's was Eppie. Abby's full pen name was Abigail Van Buren. Both were famous for giving common sense, compassionate, and often witty advice in answers to letters from readers. They spoke up against racism and other social stereotypes. Once inseparable twin sisters, they did everything together. They went to the same college and were married to their husbands in a double wedding ceremony. They raised families a mile apart from each other in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. They began growing apart due to financial differences in their husbands' careers, even though (or because) they worked for the same company. When they both became advice columnists in their 30's, the estrangement intensified, and they became bitter professional rivals - a rivalry that continued to the end of their lives.