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