Puzzle Notes
Dear friends,
This is the year's last dispatch from AV Classic, featuring a puzzle by Mat Holmes called "Ray of Hope." A .puz file is attached, but we strongly suggest solving this one in PDF to experience it in full. It's 2/5 difficulty.
The constructor, along with the editors, struggled with how to present this puzzle. There's no way around the fact that 2025 was a terrible year, quite narrowly as a result of the actions of the United States, a nation now (once again) wallowing in the sewer of white supremacy, this time evidently as a symptom of its own imperial decline. We do not want to avoid acknowledging any of this through blank expressions of patriotism.
Still, these circumstances are not new. We can therefore attend to what people elsewhere in the world, or at other times, under samedifferent oppressions have chosen to do, say, or sing, including about their country. The last Classic puzzle of 2025 is offered in that spirit of attention, without further commentary. Make what you will of it. Make something of 2026.
"Mat Holmes is a crossword constructor, Dad, husband, school teacher, coach, trivia teammate, and D&D party member in Portland, Maine. This puzzle was partially inspired by a Canadian, the amazing Will Nediger. Here's hoping that Americans can continue to learn from our neighbors to the north."
The solution to Francis Heaney's meta contest from xmas eve will be sent out next week. Peace.
Ben and the expanded AVCX crew
avxwords.com // @avcx.bsky.social' // @lilavcx.bsky.social' // @avcxtrivia.bsky.social'
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