Puzzle

Puzzle Notes

Dear friends,

We're delighted to be publishing this playful 70-word themeless by Jess Rucks and Ann Hagerty. We think you'll find it very challenging!

Jess (she/her) began solving crosswords between classes and barista shifts in college. Now, her non-crossword endeavors include being a: school-based therapist, wife, mom, and unapologetic lover of ALL the glitter. When not crosswording, therapizing, or family-ing, she tries to make time to enjoy live music (but is probably home watching "Drag Race" or college basketball). Jess is a resident of Colorado and a Minnesotan at heart. She solves crosswords on a glitter-covered clipboard. Find Jess on Twitter at @JessBevRucks.

Ann Hagerty (they/she) is a Colorado-based poet, therapist, literary translator, and crossword devotée. They've been solving crosswords for most of their life, but only started constructing within the past two years, in collaboration with Jess Rucks. This is their first published puzzle; on the poetry front, they've hand-published three chapbooks, and their writing has appeared in The Divine Feminist, Entropy, The Stillwater Review, Digging through the Fat, and other publications. When they're not word-nerding in some form or another, Ann is usually hanging out with their kids, working on their 107-year-old house, or watching goofy movies and shows (or college basketball).

When you're done solving, check out Diary of a Crossword Fiend for a write-up and discussion, every Friday after an Inkubator puzzle is published. For general updates, follow us on Twitter at @InkubatorXWords, and visit our website. Thanks to all of our subscribers for your continuing support, feedback, and kindness!

Coming up next, on October 5: Courtney Essary Messenbaugh pays tribute to an icon.

All best,
Laura, Tracy, Stella, and Brooke