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Matt Gaffney

Matt Gaffney has been a professional crossword puzzle writer for the past 21 years. He currently writes for the Daily Beast, New York, the Wall Street Journal, and the Week, and his puzzles have also appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Slate, Billboard, Wine Spectator, and the Onion. He has also written a weekly contest crossword since 2008 at www.xwordcontest.com, plus 29 books of crosswords, as well as the 2006 narrative book Gridlock: Crossword Puzzles and the Mad Geniuses Who Create Them. He lives in Staunton, Virginia, with his wife and son.

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Island Hop with This Week’s Crossword Puzzle

The pandemic may have curbed global travel habits, but with this week’s crossword grid, you can still be on island time.

Matt Gaffney

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The Need for Speed When It Comes to Our Crossword

Staying on top of breaking news is what The Daily Beast does best, and our crossword couldn’t be any different.

Matt Gaffney

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A Puzzle Title Can Be Just as Hard to Nail as a Clue

The nuances of choosing a puzzle title are all about being creative.

Matt Gaffney

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The Dunkable, Twistable Cookie That Is a Perfect Puzzle Clue

The Oreo is a classic snack food that also has a social media presence that is undeniably great.

Matt Gaffney

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Heavy Is the Puzzle Head That Wears ‘The Crown’

How we managed to fit as many actors’ names as possible into one small puzzle.

Matt Gaffney

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It’s Not Our First Rodeo With These Clues

This common phrase is a perfect opportunity for a puzzle title.

Matt Gaffney

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There’s Nothing but Love for Tennis Player Clues

With the U.S. Open finishing, we take a look at the tennis names that fill our puzzles.

Matt Gaffney

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Three Letter Names Get Their Time in the Spotlight

EVA’s and UMA’s unite, there’s another tip-tier three-letter name in the mix for puzzle clues: NIA.

Matt Gaffney

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Wikipedia Can Be Both a Gift and a Curse for Puzzlers

One thing can lead to another and down the Wikipedia hole you can go.

Matt Gaffney

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There’s No Funny Business About SNL Cast Member Clues

Cast members old and new make for a plethora of choices for puzzlers.

Matt Gaffney

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