Crossword editor’s desk: why the Independent’s puzzle should live on

An easy win for the newspaper, plus a puzzle with a hidden mathematical theme

The Independent has an excellent puzzle made by excellent setters. Since 2016, it has, of course, been online-only. We used to link to gems from its cryptics on a weekly basis. Then something changed: the interface. The puzzle player had no links and trying to complete its puzzles was like trying to write on mashed potatoes with a hammer. It felt like it had been removed from the crossword ecosystem.

Many of us have persevered, but the effort it takes to print a PDF is quite the challenge of a solver’s commitment. The Indy is planning to discontinue the crossword, which is baffling since a) the online puzzles could have a busy, happy home with little effort and expenditure and b) puzzles have never been bigger.

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