Steve Mossberg

One of the great things about appearing in AVCX is that you get a Francis Heaney difficulty rating on your puzzle. (How did they know I play the flute?) Had a lovely time working with @mossdef.bsky.social on this one! avxwords.com/puzzles/2145/

Cryptic solving as a spectator sport: the final of the Times Crossword Championship, followed by the prizegiving, will be streamed live at 3.30 today and will also available to watch back after the event. www.youtube.com/live/uruPHke...

Punditry, once smart, is primarily excruciating (9) Today's my last Indy #cryptic #crossword. I hope there's a second life in the near future for Mike's fantastic operation. It's been my privilege to set alongside my heroes and super talented friends. puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

TRANSMOGRIFICATION (Anagrammed Lines) Transmogrification! Instigator for manic magic — for transition. Strict origin of a man arising into cat form.

It was so fun making Triple Threat, today’s (free to solve) WSJ variety cryptic. I hope it brightens your day! #cryptic #crossword. www.wsj.com/articles/tri...

Rubbish Tesla not green anymore? (5) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Bit of horn taken in at this point (6) #cryptic #crossword #shanatova

SISTINE CHAPEL (Anagrammed Lines) Rome. Along a gold Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo paints a God's lore. On the solar ceiling: gospel, Adam, theological promise, and angels.

Wee partridge's introduction? (4) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Tonight, we all scream. Or something like that.

Singer starts to truly hate prog band (6) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

110 is a lot of puzzles, David. 🐙

Good luck, have fun, and leave no empty squares. I hope everybody enjoys the puzzle! 🏃‍♀️🧠🏆

I'm honored to have been invited to construct one of the puzzles for this cool upcoming #cryptic #crossword tournament. Don't let that scare you away though, it should be a good time! I can't wait to see who demolishes it the fastest.

I'm honored to have been invited to construct one of the puzzles for this cool upcoming #cryptic #crossword tournament. Don't let that scare you away though, it should be a good time! I can't wait to see who demolishes it the fastest.

When three anagrammers get together, it’s a riot

Mog hugging Republican after rally? Not his type! (8) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

BIG #CRYPTIC #CROSSWORD NEWS! National cryptic-solving contests coming to the US and Canada for the first time! 🇺🇸🏅🏆🏅🇨🇦 Participate online - registration will be free! 😀 I’ll be posting about it in the days and weeks ahead (turn on notifications for my posts to get all the news) #USCanadaCrypticCC

Make Italian dish, going at midpoint for a curry (7) Cannoli, essentially ground stuff in a shell (5) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Small saying in tavern when it's knocked back (7,2) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

Forward thinker locks down dinner service (5) Blacken bagel and fix festive topping (8) Pig? Not primarily Passover fare (4) Stewed lamb plat? Ouzo's what we'll drink (5,4,4) Roast quick and eat along edges (7) Ceaseless making of a whipped dessert (8) #cryptic #crossword #Passover

Forward thinker locks down dinner service (5) Blacken bagel and fix festive topping (8) Pig? Not primarily Passover fare (4) Stewed lamb plat? Ouzo's what we'll drink (5,4,4) Roast quick and eat along edges (7) Ceaseless making of a whipped dessert (8) #cryptic #crossword #Passover

April’s #2 fool sooo done with holiday (8) #cryptic #crossword

Regularly considered fit? Find out otherwise (2,3) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

What could be better than helping to assemble another TPFA pack with my wonderful crossword friends? I hope you'll join us in our cause and give it a go.

Visionary Cook quickly out of AirPods? (4) I‘m back with “Musical Theft,“ another WSJ variety #cryptic #crossword, free to solve here. I hope it brightens your day! www.wsj.com/articles/mus...

Visionary Cook quickly out of AirPods? (4) I‘m back with “Musical Theft,“ another WSJ variety #cryptic #crossword, free to solve here. I hope it brightens your day! www.wsj.com/articles/mus...

Show off your love of crosswords AND your love of abortion access! We have tees, tanks, and sweatshirts in our Bonfire store! www.bonfire.com/store/these-... A portion of the proceeds from each sale will go towards our fundraising. #tpfa6 #ootd #styleinspo

We have added two sample puzzles to our website! The first is this tiny lil’ cryptic from the one and only @naytnaytnayt.bsky.social So cute, so small! Solve at abortionpuzzles.com

It's my honor to have once again have edited the cryptic/variety puzzle section of this project, which means working with kind and talented crossword folks from all over. Please consider donating for this important cause and solving some fun puzzles!

And a very nice mini cryptic it is! 👏

So excited to be part of this cryptic stream! Come join us if you want to talk puzzles.

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

100 is a lot of puzzles, David. 🐙

Breakfast in America? Thanks for getting it all the way over to me, @unchcrosswords.com!

Fat starts to appear newly ubiquitous between gym and work (6,3) I set today's Independent #cryptic #crossword. I hope it brightens your day! puzzles.independent.co.uk/games/crypti...

I'm going to be hanging with Will, Hayley and other cool crossword guests on twitch.tv/bewilderingly tonight at 9PM ET while they solve a #cryptic #crossword I made for them. It's available free at www.patreon.com/squarechase if you want to play along!

Getting people access to healthcare has always been important, but it’s going to be REALLY important in 2026. We’ve been hard at work and can’t wait to share all the fun puzzles we’ve been working on. Coming this spring: TPFA6!

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...