MORNING BRIEFING

Jets spell it out in crosswords for Favre

They’re bringing Brett Favre up to speed in New York, where the Jets are breaking in their new quarterback as fast as they can. Coach Eric Mangini said they’ve tried all sorts of approaches to help Favre learn the offense.

Some of it is going through videotape, intense conversations and extended walk-throughs, and some of it is . . . crossword puzzles?

“He’s into crossword puzzles,” Mangini said. “So take the information, put it in a form of a crossword puzzle and give him that.

“I don’t know if he likes it or not, but give it a shot.”

Mangini said Favre would get as many as 12 snaps in tonight’s exhibition game.

Always a Packer?

Favre is going to be offered a marketing deal by the Packers -- when he’s finally retired -- that is similar to the $20-million offer they made to keep him retired, according to the Business Journal Serving Greater Milwaukee.

Trivia time

What was the Jets’ record in 2006 and last year?

No contest

There may be no pool big enough to hold Michael Phelps, who is making waves even in fake news. Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” worked Phelps into an introduction.

“My guest, former assistant secretary of defense Bing West, says the Iraq War is already won. I assume by Michael Phelps.”

Well, no

If Santa Claus got booed at halftime of an Eagles game in Philadelphia (and actually, this year marks the 40th anniversary of that event), what can the Phillies expect? After being caught up in a four-game sweep by the Dodgers, the Philadelphia Daily News ran this headline, along with a picture of a somber-looking Jimmy Rollins: “CAN’T HOLD YOUR BOOS?”

The IRA tour

Golfer Carl Pettersson is a local favorite in Greensboro, N.C., where he shot a 61 Friday at the Wyndham Championship. “This is like his retirement fund,” defending champion Brandt Snedeker said of Pettersson, who finished fifth in the event last year. “He plays good here every year.”

Trivia answer

From 10-6 to 4-12.

And finally

The Jets news conference was loaded with Favre questions, and someone wondered whether Mangini could talk about someone other than the quarterback: “I don’t think it’s allowed. You’re going to have to go to Green Bay for that.”

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thomas.bonk@latimes.com