Thanks to ORCA voters for picking our puzzle as the variety cryptic of the year(!). We do the rest of our thanking below in this month’s new puzzle post. Reminder that you get 12 puzzles for just $12 by subscribing, plus access to mostly unpruned-for-now archives (including that winning puzzle!).

Congrats to the mighty @mossdef.bsky.social — it's simple mathematics to see that he's hit his 100th puzzle in his Square Chase variety series. We're honored to have contributed a clue to this celebration. True mogmaxxing is subscribing at www.patreon.com/squarechase

A free cryptic to commemorate the ballot release for the ORCA crossword awards (and congrats to the other nominees) therackenfracker.com/in-the-shado...

One at the forefront of “calamitous scenario” chat! (5,8)

This puzzle has interesting properties therackenfracker.com/concerning-d...

Great cause + great puzzles alert: The ORCA Crossword Awards are sending out all 84 nominated puzzles for those who make a donation to @trevorproject.bsky.social. This includes 9 block-style cryptics and 10 variety cryptics, and we're honored to have High Definition and Fantastic Fours in the set. +

If you play with words, you should play Raddle, a top “new thing in 2025” in our books. Our own @dadgumituh.bsky.social contributed another such recommendation for today’s edition: raddle.quest/2025/12/26

The journey we’re always striving for. Happy holidays, Jeff.

How about some board gaming for the holidays? therackenfracker.com/pirate-pirat...

Reminder: This is approximately *half* of the correspondence that goes into writing a year's worth of puzzles.

I have definitions in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and wordplay the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.

Unlike Taylor, we hope you *do* like our little games — therackenfracker.com/unintended-c...

Gnomon issue 4 is coming in one week, with five more variety cryptics. Now featuring more blocks than ever! With puzzles by @longyfan.bsky.social @matttheshirt.bsky.social @therackenfracker.bsky.social and @juffowup.bsky.social

If you love cryptics, you’ve probably asked “why aren’t there more, and more fans of them?” The tl;dr is that people can only fall for them if they encounter them, and so first love scales with the publishers. There are precious few; AVCX is a good one. Consider adding their puzzles to your week.

If you like cracking cryptic clues for longer words, this one’s on target. therackenfracker.com/eights-and-n...

We've got a new puzzle and some new slang: therackenfracker.com/sixes-and-se...

Thanks to those who played along for our series of instructionless puzzles. Out of curiosity, how would you feel about ... no grid? therackenfracker.com/fracks-in-fi...

Here's the thing*: therackenfracker.com/fantastic-fo... (* Not actually related to the comic/movie at all, sorry.)

Sometimes we-a give you helpful instructions, but indicia case, we don't. therackenfracker.com/high-c/

Delighted to be back in @avcx.bsky.social with another puzzle, edited by @mossdef.bsky.social. It’s a 15x cryptic with no shenanigans other than, you know, everything. avxwords.com/puzzles/1846/

First full issue of The Gnomon is live now, with five puzzles from @longyfan.bsky.social , @bewilderingly.bsky.social, and @juffowup.bsky.social , and from guest editors @joeadultman.bsky.social and Skaldskaparmal. www.gnomoncryptics.com

A puzzle that will you a clear picture of our cryptic sensibilities: therackenfracker.com/high-definit...

We're thrilled to have provided today's minutecryptic.com clue. We looked to see what solvers thought of our first clue — if they want more of our mischief, they can find it at therackenfracker.com. #minutecryptic

If you found our last puzzle to be a doozy, you'll be happy to hear we've got a fun, fair puzzle for your amusement today — and for once the instructions give you all you'll need to play.

Very happy to have written the clue for today's #minutecryptic (www.minutecryptic.com) — hopefully the first of many of our clues you'll see there. If you're new to us, we've got free puzzles aplenty and even more for subscribers: therackenfracker.com/new-to-you-p...

"These variety cryptics, those instructions can get so long!" We hear you, and we're doing something about it.

Two-puzzle day! Delighted to have worked with our friends at patreon.com/CrypticCrossweird on a timely little variety puzzle, and we decided to commemorate the occasion with an even littler free variety puzzle ...

Face it, solver, you just hit the jackpot. therackenfracker.com/all-cherry-n...

We're very happy to be making our TheBrowser.com debut today with a feisty little cryptic crossword we think you'll enjoy. If you've found us because of The Browser, welcome, and have we got some puzzles for you.

We're back with a tricky conjunction fun variety cryptic: therackenfracker.com/parts-of-spe...

Excited to welcome two new puzzle publications: Cryptic @crossweirdtv.bsky.social and @gnomoncryptics.bsky.social! If you’re reading this, then I assure you these are of interest. We hope to be solving their puzzles for a long time. therackenfracker.com/theyve-got-i...

Today we've got a new free cryptic in our series for cryptic crossword beginners: therackenfracker.com/nerfracker-6/

🚨🚨🚨 new cryptic outlet alert! 🚨🚨🚨 Proud to announce Cryptic Crossweird, a venue for midsized cryptics at $2.50/mo. For launch, we have a special 4-puzzle pack featuring: @fabioethics.bsky.social, @bewilderingly.bsky.social, @joeadultman.bsky.social and us! patreon.com/crypticcross... 💖

A loosely coupled set of two mini's. I love this puzzle!

One last puzzle to send 2024 on its merry way; thanks to all of you who have found us puzzling. therackenfracker.com/downright-tr...

If you're thinking of packing a flask for the holidays, we've got one for you: therackenfracker.com/downright-tr...

New free Nerfracker today — if you want to dip your toes into the cryptic waters, we've got the pool noodles. therackenfracker.com/the-nerfrack...

This month features an even deeper dive into our dirty tricks basket. Feedback welcome!

Trying something different and brand-new today — let us know what you think: therackenfracker.com/downright-tr...

Our newest free puzzle — Nerfracker 4: Nerfs in Paradise therackenfracker.com/nerfracker-4/

We've done jigsaw crosswords before, but never quite like this one: therackenfracker.com/jig-antic/

We promised peculiar crossword grids, and today we've got *pentagons* — plus an easy new online solver! This puzzle is our editor Will Nediger's favorite of the series — a mere 24 clues, but plenty to get lost in. We're excited for you to give it a try!

It's been a big week for national news, from Milwaukee to Delaware, the White House to Capitol Hill. But steel yourself: next Tuesday, you have to deal with the rackenfrackin' pentagon. Do you like puzzles that are as unconventional as their wordplay? Come play with us!

Today's ⭑⭒⭒⭒⭒ difficulty puzzle has a secret answer to discover that's ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ classic:

Run for your lives! It's a new Rackenfracker!

The new @therackenfracker.bsky.social cryptic is really really good and I had a great “aha” moment during it. therackenfracker.com/one-good-tur...

For fans of tricky Rackenfrackers, this spiral puzzle's a corker. So, a cork-screw-er? A corker-screwer? A test of your cork competencies?

A free cryptic with helpers? Don’t mind if we do: therackenfracker.com/nerfracker-3/

Listen, we didn't ask for drumroll or fanfare but once these guys get going, they don't stop. Fall in!

New free (non-variety) cryptic with solver's aids!