Not trying

Darlene Lesmana@darlenelesmana.bsky.social · yesterday

nyxw today

Just thinking maybe, perhaps, possibly, it’s time to stop putting JK Rowling things in the crossword puzzle

Just thinking maybe, perhaps, possibly, it’s time to stop putting JK Rowling things in the crossword puzzle

This reminds me that I discovered a series of Thai-language crosswords when I was going through 1980s gay skin mags from scholar Benedict Anderson’s personal papers. The letters aren’t fully checked, so they got around the diacritic crossing issue. I sent these to Will Shortz, he was amused.

Avery Pattullo@luciapattullo.bsky.social · 5d ago

Now I'm wondering whether anyone has ever made an International Phonetic Alphabet crossword. It would take care of the all diacritic/accent mark issues, but I imagine you'd have people coming at you with dialectal difference pitchforks, particularly for vowels (e.g., the /pɛn/ - /pIn/ divide)

Now I'm wondering whether anyone has ever made an International Phonetic Alphabet crossword. It would take care of the all diacritic/accent mark issues, but I imagine you'd have people coming at you with dialectal difference pitchforks, particularly for vowels (e.g., the /pɛn/ - /pIn/ divide)

AVCX Classic@avcx.bsky.social · 5d ago

AVCX crosswords *do not* treat the letter N as equivalent to Ñ (bc they are different). If you’ve got NIÑO going across, it can’t be PIANO down, it has to be ARAÑA etc. And if you have ANO in the grid, it’s getting clued as “Acapulco Anus,” not “Spanish year.” Need to put this in our spec sheet

Come hear my noise duo play at Constellation in support of our debut EP, Acapulco Anus.

AVCX Classic@avcx.bsky.social · 5d ago

AVCX crosswords *do not* treat the letter N as equivalent to Ñ (bc they are different). If you’ve got NIÑO going across, it can’t be PIANO down, it has to be ARAÑA etc. And if you have ANO in the grid, it’s getting clued as “Acapulco Anus,” not “Spanish year.” Need to put this in our spec sheet

AVCX crosswords *do not* treat the letter N as equivalent to Ñ (bc they are different). If you’ve got NIÑO going across, it can’t be PIANO down, it has to be ARAÑA etc. And if you have ANO in the grid, it’s getting clued as “Acapulco Anus,” not “Spanish year.” Need to put this in our spec sheet

if you’re a crossword kinda player @avcx.bsky.social and its various offshoots are for you

New one dropping from Kevin Shustack tonight, called “Opening Wrappers”… it’s a theme you won’t find in mainstream outlets, that’s for sure. We hope you love it. Subscribe, free trial, come get it: Avxwords.com

bsky.app/profile/avcx...

AVCX Classic@avcx.bsky.social · 2w ago

Avxwords.com isn’t free, but we have tiered subscriptions (as low as $13/year), and we have a standing policy of giving a free sub to anyone who asks, no questions asked. We’re run by humans and are independent.

Here's a cool thing I've been involved with: this week's Raddle is a collaboration with the AVCX folks! There's a puzzle by a different AVCX creator every day and a meta-puzzle for the week (with a prize!): raddle.quest

Raddle — Word transformation game

A daily word game by Sandy Weisz

raddle.quest

This means a lot, thank you!

justine zhang@tisjune.bsky.social · 2w ago

@avcx.bsky.social is great. i am approaching the end of their (extremely generous) free trial period and need to remind myself to subscribe. some of the clues are "text my funny and based friends immediately" tier, which is much more than i can say of the NYT.

Thanks to everyone who’s signed up for an AVCX subscription or free trial since the Raddle meta started! We’ll never complain about having a couple hundred new solvers in a week. Avxwords.com

Some sickos have solved the meta after just two days … you guys … Anyways, hope you’re enjoying Day 2 of our (relatively easy) meta. If you haven’t played Raddle yet, click through below, it’s good fun.

AVCX Classic@avcx.bsky.social · 2w ago

AVCX is running a guest series of Raddle puzzles this week (if you’re not yet familiar with the game, go check it out). And in fact, there’s a meta puzzle if you solve through the end of the week. Fun stuff!! raddle.quest/mystery/10/

AVCX is running a guest series of Raddle puzzles this week (if you’re not yet familiar with the game, go check it out). And in fact, there’s a meta puzzle if you solve through the end of the week. Fun stuff!! raddle.quest/mystery/10/

AVCX is running a guest series of Raddle puzzles this week (if you’re not yet familiar with the game, go check it out). And in fact, there’s a meta puzzle if you solve through the end of the week. Fun stuff!! raddle.quest/mystery/10/

Fun puzzle coming to you tonight from Sala Wanetick, titled “This Is Fine.” Sign up for AVCX if haven’t already at avxwords.com, and help support independent puzzles and games of the very highest caliber.

@puzzletrip.bsky.social cooked up today's cryptic clue for the @avcx.bsky.social a few months back, and I can still smell how successful it is from all the way over here! If you need a laugh for breakfast, check it out!

6/23/26

Photo by Eiliv Aceron on Unsplash Interminable reaction to beans and tea (3,3,4) Trip Payne, AVCX 2/19/26 In all seriousness, sometimes a clue is just fun and funny. There’s a reason we still…

crosswordscholar.wordpress.com

Aaron Riccio@illogicaljoker.bsky.social · last mo.

A super Super Bowl cryptic clue that's maybe not at all a Super Bowl clue unless it's actually a Super Bowl clue? Find out what Dylan Blok is up to in this neat offering from the @crossweirdtv.bsky.social Patreon.

Fun puzzle coming to you tonight from Sala Wanetick, titled “This Is Fine.” Sign up for AVCX if haven’t already at avxwords.com, and help support independent puzzles and games of the very highest caliber.

Excited to debut at @avcxtrivia.bsky.social! If you're not already an @avcx.bsky.social subscriber (which, why aren't you?!?), you can get the puzzle for $1 here: avxwords.com/puzzles/2078/

Kate Jensen’s lil AVCX, which went out last night, is getting feedback like this: “OK this was like the best ever” “these puzzles are getting more and more interesting!” “Wow that is some impressive [redacted] action!” “Holy cow, that was amazing!” Solve it now with a free trial now—Avxwords.com

We still get nice messages from people who remember solving Ink Well in the @chicagoreader.com back in the 2000s. One of the best gigs with one of the best solverships ever. Always appreciate when people trace the line forward to present day AVCX, which is the same general idea.

THAT’S A WRAP! We raised over $38K this year! Thank you to everyone for your generous contributions! 💜 This means we raised over $7.6K for each of the 5 funds we support! @iwrising.bsky.social @chiabortionfund.bsky.social @abortionfundmd.bsky.social Tampa Bay Abortion Fund OurJustice 💜

Yoooo Thank you, means a lot

Kelson Thomas (poped up)@kelson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

finally canceled my nyt games subscription. All in on @avcx.bsky.social

Classic is officially at capacity for submissions for the May-June cycle. Thanks to everyone who sent stuff — we’re reviewing all pitches now. Sorry to have to close up at a certain point. We only have so many slots in a year, and we do this to avoid a backlog.

Manny Nosowsky was a generational crossword talent and really encouraging to me (and other new constructors) in the '00s. Sorry to hear of his passing. This obit from @debamlen.bsky.social really clearly shows why he was such a great clue-writer. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/24/u...

Manny Nosowsky, Whose Wordplay Enlivened Times Crosswords, Dies at 94

nytimes.com

✨Editor Spotlight✨ @burrata.bsky.social (he/him) is an editor of @avcx.bsky.social. He is based in Queens, NY, and is honored to be part of TPFA once again. Ben edited “Round These Parts” (grid shown here) by @fabioethics.bsky.social and @rebecculous.bsky.social! fund.nnaf.org/tpfa6

The subject for this go-round is @avcx.bsky.social, from Jan.'s @jessshulman.bsky.social to last month's @norahsharpe.bsky.social and @tlmberwolves.bsky.social. Really looking forward to drilling into the differences between difficulty and constructor style under the AVCX banner!

We’ve gotten a record number of submissions in the first two days of this cycle - more than 30 already. We have room for about 80 submissions total per cycle (we ultimately accept about 25%).

AVCX Classic@avcx.bsky.social · 3mo ago

AVCX Classic is open for submissions as of today! We love seeing work from everybody, especially new constructors and underrepresented people. WE CARE ABOUT DIVERSITY also always happy to workshop your stuff with you if helpful. Spec sheet: avxwords.com/submit-a-puz...

AVCX Classic is open for submissions as of today! We love seeing work from everybody, especially new constructors and underrepresented people. WE CARE ABOUT DIVERSITY also always happy to workshop your stuff with you if helpful. Spec sheet: avxwords.com/submit-a-puz...