Lil AVCX

Crossword puzzle with 8-Across highlighted: [Scientists used this company's flapjack in an attempt to prove Kansas is "flatter than a pancake!"] (four letters)

We are excited to start bringing you midi puzzles from this year's Lil AVCX roster of constructors! To start off the 2026 roster puzzles, we have a 13x11 midi by Kim Alswager titled "Home Free." We think you'll find this homey puzzle a delight to solve.

Crossword puzzle with 7-Down highlighted: [Milky Way ingredient (don't @ me, but it's the worst candy bar)] (six letters)

Today we're wrapping up our run of Lil editor puzzles with a voicey 12x10 themeless from Brian Callahan (@oliogrids.bsky.social) titled "Malört is the New Holy Water." On a scale of calm waters to tsunami, this one's a nice whitewater wave on a surfboard. We hope you enjoy the ride!

Of late, you can also find Katja's puzzles on the People magazine app, where she makes minis and celebrity-focused midis. Sometimes they can also be found on People website, like here: people.com/people-pu... Congrats, Katja!

Crossword puzzle with 16-Across highlighted [Causes of some falls, in cartoons]

Tonight's puzzle is an 11x7 offering entitled "A Polar Bear Is Looking at You" from Lil alum Katja Brinck (Katja Brinck). We think it'll be a breezy solve that's easy to bear.

The Globe and Mail Play all of The Globe and Mail’s games and puzzles daily! Including crosswords, cryptics, Sudoku and other exclusive word games.

Jess was recently named the Games Editor at Canada's "The Globe and Mail" (The Globe and Mail). They offer a daily mini crossword (made by Jess!) and a 21x21 that comes out every Saturday. All of the games are free to play. Congratulations Jess - we're super proud of you!

Crossword puzzle with 7-down highlighted: [Words that mean a great deal?] (7 letters)

We're excited to share a moderately challenging 10x11 midi from Lil AVCX editor Jess Shulman (Jess Shulman). It's titled "Another Round?"

Crossword puzzle with 13-Across highlighted: [BBC quiz show that borrows its title from E.M. Forster's "Howards End"] (11 letters)

Tonight's puzzle is an 11x10 themed offering from Lil AVCX editor Matthew Luter entitled "Mandatory Fun". Enjoy it! That's an order.

Photography Travel Blog | Where's Ben Been? If you are looking for travel recommendations, Where's Ben Been? has interesting anecdotes, beautiful travel photography, and guides for United States road trips and international destinations.

And check out Ben's photography blog here: www.wheresbenbeen.com

Crossword puzzle with 12-Across highlighted: [Adopt, as a new hobby (maybe crossword construction?!)] (6 letters)

Today we're bringing you an 11x11 midi by guest constructor Benjamin Panico. This lightly-themed puzzle is titled, "Mapped Out." We think you'll enjoy the mild challenge of figuring out where you're headed.

Crossword puzzle with 30-Across highlighted: [Space station-splaining quote by Obi-Wan] (11 letters)

We're excited to bring you an 11x11 themeless by Lil AVCX editor Amie Walker (Amie Walker), "Once Bitten and Twice Shy." Amie never ceases to astound us with her ability to pack puzzles with pop culture, current trends, and silly jokes, while making us feel like we're on her wavelength.

Crossword puzzle with 7-Down highlighted: [Sweet child o' mine] (3 letters)

Peeking its head out of its den, we've got a 15x10 themed puzzle for you. It's from Lil AVCX editor Jess Rucks (Jess Rucks) titled, "It's Groundhog Day, Again!" This is a moderately challenging puzzle with a special twist for a special day. We highly recommend printing this one.

Crossword clue with 27-Across highlighted: [Brontë heroine who, IMO, overlooked the reddest of red flags by marrying a man who locked his first wife in the attic] (4 letters)

We have a great guest puzzle for you today from Lil AVCX, a 9x9 themeless midi by Kelly Morenus (Kelly Morenus) titled "Winter Delights." As one test solver put it, this puzzle's vibes are "sparkly, like freshly fallen snow."

Crossword puzzle with 37-Down highlighted (5 letters)

Buckle up! Today, we bring you a 9x16 themed puzzle by Kareem Ayas titled, "This Puzzle Revolves Around You." We think you'll find it a topsy-turvy good time, with plenty of fresh clues to make for a sophisticated and slightly strenuous solve.

Crossword puzzle with 8-Down highlighted: [City mentioned on Sufjan Stevens' "Michigan"] (9 letters)

Today we're bringing you a 9x9 brainteaser from leadership team member Will Eisenberg (Will). It's called "Never, EVER Split the Party." You'll need to put on your thinking cap for this themeless puzzle, but it will be so satisfying when you are ultimately successful.

Crossword puzzle with 5-Across highlighted: [Put a PIN in it!] (3 letters)

Here's the scoop: we've got here for you today an 11x11 themed puzzle from leadership team member Sally Hoelscher (Sally Hoelscher ) titled, "We All Scream." It should be a cool and smooth solve, with some witty clues serving as the cherry on top.

Crossword puzzle with 1-Down highlighted: ["My brain ___ left the chat"] (3 letters)

We hope you are ready for a year of amazing puzzles! For our second Lil AVCX installment, we have a 10x13 themed brain-tickler by Michael Berg titled "Empty Words." It's chock-full of clever clues, fresh entries and a unique and approachable theme — that's no empty promise!

Crossword puzzle with 28-Down highlighted: [Head of a music publication's staff?] (four letters)

We're excited to bring you the first Lil puzzle of 2026! It's a 12x11 offering called "Sweet!" from leadership team member Olivia Mitra Framke (@livienna.bsky.social). We think this tasty offering chock-full of Olivia's signature fun clues will start your new year off right.

Crossword puzzle with 30-Across highlighted: ["Gossip? Oh you mean trickle down ___onomics" (@awejones post on X)] (three letters)

We're excited to bring you the last Lil puzzle of 2025! It's a 16x9 themeless offering from roster member Alisya Reza (@alisyareza.bsky.social) titled "and furthermore…." We think it will get you reflecting on this year and anticipating the next one!

As always with Ben's crosswords, it's filled with wordplay and a great variety of interesting tidbits, which we think will give you just the right amount of brain work for the end of the year.

Crossword puzzle with 12-Across highlighted: [Special key that lets you skip to the front of the line?] (four letters)

Welcome to the penultimate Lil AVCX puzzle of 2025! What a year it has been. Today's puzzle is an 11x11 called "Front Company," our sixth installment from UK-based roster member Ben Wilson (@zerofiftyone.bsky.social.)

Three winners will be randomly selected from all the correct entries. Each winner will receive a book of midi crosswords. We'll send out the answer to the meta and announce the winners next week.

We've decided to make this meta puzzle a contest! The answer to the meta is an author's name. Send your answer to the meta to lilavcxmetacontest@gmail.com before midnight Pacific Time on December 27, 2025.

Crossword puzzle with 34-Across highlighted: [Music that gets you in the moody] (three letters)

Today marks the final roster puzzle by Carina da Rosa, and there's something special about it. This 9x15 grid is titled, "I Can't See the Author for the Spelling Errors," and it's a meta puzzle. After you fill the grid, solve the puzzle-within-a-puzzle to find the meta answer.

Crossword with 35-Down highlighted: [Capacity that might render this clue unnecessary] (three letters)

Monday's puzzle is a 12x11 themed midi, titled "Can you just pretend I'm not here?" It's full of trademark Katie Hoody cluing: clever but fair misdirects, quick wit, and a theme that we hope will lead you to a satisfying aha moment.

Adryel W. Robles Ojeda (@selbohr.bsky.social)
Anna Harkins
Faren Roth
Heather Stanger McIntire
Kate Jensen
Keegan Edgar
Kim Alswager
Madison Shultz
Wilfred Bowie (@wilfredbowie.bsky.social)
Zoey Foley (@enigmatwist.bsky.social)

We can't wait to see what 2026 will hold for Lil and our new roster!

A bunch of smiling faces of Lil AVCX's 2026 roster! They are listed by name in the next post in the thread.

Lil AVCX is thrilled to announce our 2026 Roster! We are excited to bring you puzzles by these constructors:

Crossword puzzle with 4 Down highlighted: ["I need the mean, median, and mode, ___!" (demand from an impatient mathematician)] (four letters)

Tonight's offering is the final roster puzzle from Alex Rossell Hayes (@alxrh.bsky.social). It's a 9x13 titled "Turnabout Is Fair Play." Alex has made so many great puzzles this year. If you haven't solved them all yet, go back and check them out!

Crossword puzzle with 17 Across highlighted [Like some pink-feathered finches and positive outlooks] (four letters)

Today's midi offering is a whimsical treat from roster member K.J. Sarr titled "Meet Cute." We think you'll find this 8x10 puzzle to be a breezy, pastel-painted delight.

Crossword puzzle with 35 Across highlighted: [Bulb that produces a bright color] (five letters)

Today's puzzle is an 11x11 offering from roster member Terry Sun entitled "Borderline." We think this one might be a bit tricky to wrap your head around, so put on your thinking caps!

Crossword puzzle with 9 Across highlighted: [Unhelpful units of measurement in microbiology] (five letters)

Today's 10x9 midi puzzle comes to you from the great Matthew Gritzmacher. We think you'll find "E-I-E-I-O" a delightful, jolly romp through a meadow.