Elsbeth Season 3 Episode 13: Steve Buscemi Meets His Match

"Murder Six Across" sends Elsbeth (Carrie Preston) back into the crossword world to investigate the death of Morris Long, the editor killed during the National Crossword Tournament. Guest star Steve Buscemi plays Simon, an elite solver whose resentment over Morris' modern clues and a romantic rivalry with fellow competitor Elaine set the stage for a violent confrontation.

At the tournament, Morris’s push to include contemporary slang sparks an argument that escalates when Simon confronts him in his room. Simon suffocates Morris with a swag bag, keeps the body on ice while continuing to compete, and eventually moves the corpse to a cabin near Stillford.

Three days later the body is found and Elsbeth, Wagner and Detective Edwards follow a trail of evidence: matching fibers from the swag bag, a broken lanyard clasp, changes in the puzzle archive, and someone accessing Morris’ email and texts after his death.

elsbeth, carrie preston, steve buscemi, episode 13, morris long, crossword tournament, crossword, swag bag, puzzle archive, detective edwards