I second all the advice in this very nice piece. I've found the most important, and perhaps even the most joyous thing, is to keep solving, learning, and refining my practice with the aim to make each puzzle more beautiful than the last. The journey only gets more rewarding.

Crossword x Lego

Person hitting some spiced rum merrily (7) Unbelievable remixed ode to holly (4,6) A Mossberg Christmas joint? Who knew? Honored to close out the AVCX Cryptics year under @naytnaytnayt.bsky.social's editorial eye. I hope it brightens your holiday! #cryptic #crossword crosswordr.com/a/puzzle/ByT...

Person hitting some spiced rum merrily (7) Unbelievable remixed ode to holly (4,6) A Mossberg Christmas joint? Who knew? Honored to close out the AVCX Cryptics year under @naytnaytnayt.bsky.social's editorial eye. I hope it brightens your holiday! #cryptic #crossword crosswordr.com/a/puzzle/ByT...

A rare but fun appearance by the gaffer Eimi in the Independent today, featuring this absolute corker: Pinter play involving three people: a woman and two men (8) puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Wow, I’m really in my element on this one! These Cryptic Crossweird folks are good people doing good puzzle work. Do check them out if you haven’t yet!

This is usually where I'd put some spiel about my cryptic crossword Patreon, but I'm just feeling lucky and proud to light the lights tonight. I think this Square Chase holiday puzzle is apt and, as always, free to all. I hope it brightens your evening. www.patreon.com/posts/square...

Happy Chanukah to all who celebrate 🕎 play.usatoday.com/crossword PSA: Sufganiyot is a plural word. The singular is sufganiya

This is usually where I'd put some spiel about my cryptic crossword Patreon, but I'm just feeling lucky and proud to light the lights tonight. I think this Square Chase holiday puzzle is apt and, as always, free to all. I hope it brightens your evening. www.patreon.com/posts/square...

Breakfast links bloat me a lot (7) I'm sure you'll all be shocked to hear I put food into the title of my free-to-solve holiday #cryptic #crossword in the WSJ. I hope it brightens your day! www.wsj.com/articles/sea...

Breakfast links bloat me a lot (7) I'm sure you'll all be shocked to hear I put food into the title of my free-to-solve holiday #cryptic #crossword in the WSJ. I hope it brightens your day! www.wsj.com/articles/sea...

Maybe 8 out of 10 Cats ended prematurely, in for broadcast (8) It's a pleasure, as always, to set The Independent #cryptic #crossword, especially one with such a lovely palindromic number. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

What a treat to get to set #250 in The Browser with my friend Matthew Stock! I hope it brightens your day.

Looking forward to getting my copy!

Solving, constructing for, and editing for @avcx.bsky.social has been one of the greatest joys of my puzzling life. If you’re looking for a great gift that supports independent media, check out this fantastic subscription - minis, full-size crosswords, cryptics, and trivia to your inbox weekly.

Always love @francisheaney.bsky.social's difficulty ratings! I've got this week's AVCX cryptic -- free to subscribers, or buy for $1! Big thanks for the expert editing, @naytnaytnayt.bsky.social, such a pleasure to work with you. avxwords.com/buy-individu...

Sega's hedgehog holds variable speed for many players (9) It's always a pleasure to be back in The Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Sara's Halloween cryptic is an annual highlight in The Browser. No time like the present to check out all five of them if you haven't!

Crossword's conclusion leaves spirit low (3) @danfeyer.bsky.social at The Browser Crossword was the first editor to take a chance on me as a beginning cryptic setter, so I thought I'd make a little tribute puzzle on the blog. I hope it brightens your day! squarepursuit.com/2025/10/22/s...

I've had a go at a puzzle for the American market in @avcx.bsky.social . avxwords.com. Thanks to @francisheaney.bsky.social for getting it in shape. I was advised against too much depressing reality, but was allowed one: Perhaps Trump and Musk supporting introduction of fascism (5)

Too American to lead English orchestra (4) Dwelling as The Beatles were in Hamburg? (6) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Quick thing I gotta go do (4)

Mel Taub, the former Puns and Anagrams constructor and prince of puns, has died at 97. Obit written by the incomparable Penelope Green. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/c...

Me today: Wishes for a sweet new year, and has at nova spread (5,4)

Dictator's hurt nation's capital (4) Delay evident in reactions to new allegations (9) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day!

90 is a lot of puzzles, David. 🐙

I used to make these Quiptics to help my fellow North Americans grasp the more deceptive UK cluing style by limiting the wordplay devices to one per clue. Every once in a while I get the urge to set a few more for my old blog. Here's a new batch. squarepursuit.com/2025/08/19/q... #cryptic #crossword

In life things are rarely black and white. Except peppermint patties. People either love them or hate them.

I have a beginner-level mini #cryptic #crossword out on AVCX (@avcx.bsky.social). It's been fun working with @mossdef.bsky.social as editor. Do subscribe/buy if you can! avxwords.com/puzzles/1857/

Mog day in the Indy! Always good fun // @mossdef.bsky.social puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

It was a real pleasure editing this one, and not a cryptic to sleep on if you're up for the challenge!

We are less than $700 away from our goal, with one day left! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has helped us get here!! Fundraising ends tomorrow, Saturday, May 31. Don’t wait until the last minute! fund.nnaf.org/tpfa

The absolute highlight of my puzzling year, every year!

Want to hear a cool story about reproductive justice, mutual aid, and crossword puzzles? Let me tell you about These Puzzles Fund Abortion (www.abortionpuzzles.com / @tpfa.bsky.social), a crossword puzzle fundraiser that has raised over $350,000 in five years for abortion funds. 1/9

Monster herb is leek in the end (8) It's Mog again in @the-independent.com cryptic crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

New color; color has no limits! (3) #cryptic

We reached $30K this week! 🤑 That’s 6,000 💵 EACH to @baltimorefund.bsky.social Tampa Bay Abortion Fund Chicago Abortion Fund @iwrising.bsky.social Mariposa Fund We are so grateful to everyone who has contributed to and shared our campaign! Thank you, thank you!! 💜 fund.nnaf.org/tpfa

Episode 3 of Crosstalk with @sidsivakumar.bsky.social is out now! Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/1sq5... Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

Credit to the constructors of this puzzle, @naytnaytnayt.bsky.social and @enriqueha.bsky.social !

80 is a lot of puzzles, David. 🐙

Dessert of maki rolls before soba and udon at the end (8) #cryptic #crossword

It’s not a competition… because we believe all abortion fundraising is GREAT! But it does warm our hearts to see TPFA on the leaderboard. That’s thanks to you! We still have a long way to go to reach our goal, so why not tell all your friends about our awesome crossword pack? Fund.nnaf.org/tpfa

To all the cool people I talked to this weekend at the 2025 #ACPT: Notice ooze leaking out the back (3) Who solves cryptics? Sheep I hear (3) Cry at deli counter, going through Kleenex ten-pack (4) Graduating class finally pay attention (4) It was so fun catching up with/meeting everybody!

I'm in the Independent! (Bluejacket, 12010, Mon 7th Apr 25) puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Say what gets publicity, I say (4) This and more from me in the Indy #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Jess's puzzle here is awesome! It was great to have her as part of our important project. Please give it a try!

Headed to subscribers tonight, the perfect dessert. patreon.com/squarechase

This is a witty, soulful piece about my favorite kind of puzzle. I'm quite flattered to have my work mentioned in there.

Will really knows his stuff! I highly recommend this for puzzle makers who haven't had the chance to read it yet.

This was extremely useful advice to me early on.