I think the headlines are a tradition rather than something else.

Maybe there is also a slight hint of intellectualism or some would say elitism in the references to classical quotes and trivia that's generally only picked up in higher education.

I rather like it though. It's a shame that the headlines in Sweden - where I live - looks more and more as the worst kind of clickbate. Puns are not exactly unknown here - and the dad-joke pun is is even named after the second largest city...