In 2021, I made my first word puzzle as a gift for my girlfriend for the same reasons many people did things during the pandemic: a lack of cash and an abundance of free time. We quickly ran out of games during long locked-in weekends, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I created puzzles based on our inside jokes and shared language, including one that required unwinding words themed around a “twisted” summer tea we enjoy. I still buy presents, even though I have this newfound crossword-making superpower, but there are some occasions when a puzzle is more than enough. When he kept procrastinating, she decided to try it herself and surprise him with a gift.

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Persons: Joni Binder, procrastinating Locations: San Francisco