38 Across

 

A Yiddish bedbug. Five letters. Begins with a "V".

(Header 1925.)

https://www.neatorama.com/2008/03/31/the-origin-of-the-crossword-puzzle/

https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/1aaa2fd0-1f90-0134-9154-00505686a51c

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0638237/

MASH ep. Jan. 1977 "38 Across". 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/whats-a-9-letter-word-for-a-100-year-old-puzzle-180948613/?no-ist

[Harry Kahne, mental marvel and daredevil from Keiths Theatre, amuses the cross word puzzle fans as he works a puzzle backwards, while being hung from the top of one of Washington's tall office buildings]

Harris & Ewing, photographer

https://www.loc.gov/item/2016887601/

[1925 January 18 (date published)]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossword

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/09/how-will-shortz-edits-a-new-york-times-crossword-puzzle/244733/

https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-d457-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Ambrose Hines, 100 yr old with crossword puzzle, 1/22/25

https://www.loc.gov/item/2016839186/