A crossword puzzle that appeared in a community newspaper in Suffolk to mark Black History Month is being called out as racist.

The puzzle, which appeared in the Times Beacon Record, features two clues that read "sell illegally" and "crime scene evidence." The publisher is based in Setauket.

 

Suffolk county residents expressed a mix of shock and confusion when shown the puzzle.

"I was surprised and a little bit horrified that they would even publish that, it's very insensitive," says Adrian Eanham, of Selden.

"It seems kind of racist, I feel like it's stereotypically that black people get in trouble, which isn't right," says Mason Maine, of Stony Brook. "They should choose different things should talk about their achievements."

The Long Island regional director of the NAACP released a statement to News 12, saying, "As we close out Black History Month, this is a not so subtle reminder of the continued institutional and blatant racism that exists on Long Island. The NAACP has requested a meeting with the publisher of the newspaper."

The Times Beacon Record released a statement, saying in part, "We here at the Times Beacon Record are so sorry for the insensitive comments made in our recent crossword puzzle. For the hurt we have caused, we truly apologize."