We are all products of the world we're living in. Today's pop culture is tomorrow's history. Every generation has heroes and villains, inventions and fads, scandals and news.
Today, crosswords are criticized for old and obscure entries. However, crosswords should in fact be aimed at their intended audience. Older audiences should have crosswords designed with the trivia of classic Jeopardy! or original Trivial Pursuit, stars of yesteryear (including radio), and avoid the claptrap and hullabaloo used solely by today's kids. There should be universal appeal, without offending probable or potential readers, while drawing in the primary audience with a feeling of familiarity. Nostalgia is what it used to be.
How good a crossword is really depends on the clues. Are they fun? Are they fair? Are they a little unfair? Are they a little off the beaten path? Will they make you think? Do they make good use of trivia? Are they sometimes a little tricky? Will you be groaning at any puns?
Dig in and find out!