JANUARY 3, 1992

Full News Archive

• Headline: Cult of the Mystery: Rituals and Byways. Impact: As more people became obsessed with murder mysteries, the surge in book sales led to an unexpected boom in detective-themed escape rooms. This ultimately resulted in a nationwide shortage of magnifying glasses and fedoras, causing fashion trends to spiral inexplicably into the 1940s.. Fact: Did you know? The term 'whodunit' was actually coined in the 1920s by a group of detectives who were tired of being asked who did it all the time. They just wanted to solve crimes, not host a guessing game..
• Headline: Revitalizing Bronx: Restoring 20 Buildings. Impact: The restoration of these abandoned buildings sparked a gentrification wave that made the Bronx the hottest new neighborhood for hipsters, who then promptly priced out all the original residents. The irony was lost on no one, except possibly the hipsters themselves.. Fact: Did you know? The phrase 'location, location, location' was first used by a Bronx resident who was also a real estate agent—and had a penchant for irony, given the area's reputation at the time..