Lowdown Cryptic

@lowdowncryptic

Canada’s rep for the World Crossword Federation and US & Canada Cryptic Championships (July 2026) 🏆 My cryptics: Crossweird, The Browser, AVCX, OoLF, Minute Cryptic 🔠 Scrabblegrams monthly. Letter banks repeatedly. He/him 🇨🇦 Insta: lowdowncryptic

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Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· 11d

⬆️ #Scrabblegram #BurningIssue #Scrabble Board:

Another forest ablaze
and smoke going over

We can extinguish a wildfire
but need policy adjusted
to improve air quality

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· 12d

Time for a brand-new #Scrabblegram! 🔠 (I've posted older 'grams the past 3 months) So, could we maybe start rewarding #cleanenergy instead of #fossilfuels? 😳 #wildfires #smoke #airquality #climate #scrabble #wordplay #commentary Photo: DarrenRD, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo of heavy wildfire smoke and flames along a highway full of vehicles escaping the area. Text below:

Burning Issue

Another forest ablaze
and smoke going over

We can extinguish a wildfire
but need policy adjusted
to improve air quality

Scrabblegram (100 tiles)
Blanks: D, T

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· 25d

It's the final day of competition in this incredible event that's been taking place in North America! 🏆 No, not the #WorldCup, the US & Canada #Cryptic #Crossword Championships! 🤩 Round 2 is today with a challenging cryptic by the excellent @viresh.bsky.social aka Gussalufz #USCanadaCrypticCC 🇺🇸 🇨🇦

Every Sunday of July at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern. Highlighted date is July 19 for Online Round 2.

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· 29d

1600 games of #Wordle in Hard Mode 8 losses (one every 200 games) Win % rounded back up to 100 (99.5%) Average: 3.82 guesses 521-day win streak was from Sep 17, 2022 (day after PARER) to Feb 19, 2024 (day before MATCH), but count reset due to technical glitch after 342 days

Screenshot of Wordle stats showing 1600 games played with 100% win percentage (rounded up from 99.5%) and Max Streak of 521 games

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jul 12

My practice round #cryptic from last Sunday is featured today on #TheHindu Crossword Corner, a popular solving blog in India! Thanks to Deepak Gopinath 1-Across clue: Cryptic crowd holding large, cheerful competition in North America (5,3) 🏆 thehinducrosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2026/07/spec...

Heading from US & Canada Cryptic Crossword Championships practice round puzzle by Larry Kline, with 1-Across clue: Cryptic crowd holding large, cheerful competition in North America (5,3)

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jul 12

Round 1 of the US & Canada #Cryptic #Crossword Championships starts in 10 minutes! 🤩 If you registered, log in now at crypticsingh.com and refresh the page until the crossword displays Speed counts, but accuracy is more important - review your entries before you submit! 🤓 #USCanadaCrypticCC 🇺🇸 🇨🇦

Poster for US Cryptic Crossword Championship 2026
Organized by Extra-C on CrypticSingh.com
For US residents of any nationality

Every Sunday of July at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern
July 5 - Practice Round
July 12 - Online Round 1
July 19 - Online Round 2
July 26 - Final Leaderboard

Free registration on CrypticSingh.com

Prizes:
Winner $500
Runner-Up $300
2nd Runner-Up $200
Medals for Podium Finishers
Certificates for all State Winners

Poster for Canada Cryptic Crossword Championship 2026
Organized by Extra-C on CrypticSingh.com
For Canada residents of any nationality

Every Sunday of July at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern
July 5 - Practice Round
July 12 - Online Round 1
July 19 - Online Round 2
July 26 - Final Leaderboard

Free registration on CrypticSingh.com

Prizes:
Winner $500
Runner-Up $300
2nd Runner-Up $200
Medals for Podium Finishers
Certificates for all Prov/Terr Winners

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jul 11

Tomorrow is Round 1 of the US & Canada #Cryptic #Crossword Championships! 😀 #USCanadaCrypticCC 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 Puzzle by @mossdef.bsky.social, who edits for AVCX Cryptic and makes top-notch variety cryptics at www.patreon.com/squarechase You can still register (if you live in US or Canada) at crypticsingh.com

Every Sunday of July at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern. Highlighted date is July 12 for Online Round 1.

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jul 8

Stella Zawistowski's weekly #crypticclue writing contest still runs every Tuesday on Instagram: www.instagram.com/inteltainmentpuzzles Here's my winning clue from yesterday: Eat around five, I guess? (6)

Screenshot of Instagram post by inteltainmentpuzzles, with angel illustration and cryptic clue-writing contest for the word DIVINE

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jul 5

US & Canada #Cryptic #Crossword Championships are getting started! 😀 #USCanadaCrypticCC 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 If you're participating, reply or DM with any questions or with your feedback after you solve my Practice Round cryptic today! You can still register (if you live in the US or Canada) at crypticsingh.com

"July 5th, Practice Round" highlighted on Cryptic Crossword Championships schedule; Sundays in July at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jul 4

Happy 4th and 250th to American friends who are celebrating today 🎉 Wonderful #crypticclue here by Stella Zawistowski (on Instagram) I’m going both ways to acknowledge someone who makes America great (9)

I’m going both ways to acknowledge someone who makes America great (9)

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jul 1

🇨🇦 One-of-a-kind Canada Day treat (5) 🇨🇦 #crypticclue #letterbank #LowdownLetterBank Happy #CanadaDay, everyone from coast to coast to coast! Solve the clue with hints on Cryptick ✅ cryptick.wildvale.co.uk/clue.html#e3... Cupcakes by cravecupcakes.ca #Canada #cryptic competition details below ⬇️

Photo of six Canadian cupcakes from cravecupcakes.ca - two of them are moose faces and one says "Happy Canada Day!"

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jun 30

With Toronto hosting '6ix' #WorldCup2026 matches, and #Canada into the Round of 16, it's a great time to re-post my #Toronto #Scrabblegram from a few years ago 🏙️⚽🔠 Happy #CanadaDay for July 1st! 🇨🇦 #WorldCup #Soccer #Scrabble #QueenStreet #The6ix #DiversityOurStrength

Photo of Toronto skyline, with text below:

Toronto

Multicultural “city in a park”
Drake made it “The Six” (a good fit)

Enjoy shops of Queen,
above-average dining,
below-zero winters

Scrabblegram (100 tiles)
Blanks: K and T

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jun 28

As a Canadian who was born in S.A., I'm looking forward to today's match! #Canada #SouthAfrica #WorldCup2026 Two #cryptic #crossword clues I wrote just now that accurately describe two cities: South African city, but not the capital city (5) Canadian city, but with no rocky peak atop (4) Hints ⬇️

Photos of South African and Canadian soccer fans with text "World Cup 2026, Today's Match, Sunday June 28, Round of 32, 1 Match, South Africa vs. Canada"

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jun 27

My fellow Canadians: we're excited for tomorrow's #WorldCup match, but here's another exciting event... Starting on July 5, it's the #Canada #Cryptic #Crossword Championship! 🇨🇦 🤩 (there's also a US one) Register for free at www.crypticsingh.com (photo is optional) Please share! #USCanadaCrypticCC

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jun 17

Dinner, drinks and cryptic convo with Fraser Simpson, @jessshulman.bsky.social, @sarathegood.bsky.social, Rupert from NZ, and Britain’s Colin Thomas (Gemelo) - advanced setter for The Observer, assistant crossword editor for The Times, and runner-up at the World Cryptic Crossword Championship!

6 smiling people sitting at a table on a patio in downtown Toronto

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jun 16

You haven't joined Cryptic Crossweird yet? Subscribe now! www.patreon.com/CrypticCross... Two clues from my puzzle: Cryptic novice copying some letters? It makes things easier (11) 😉 Measure of disgust from Kevin Kline or Chris Klein after Larry Kline joins Calvin Klein at film's premiere (3,6) 🤣

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jun 15

Sample clue: It hits different (4) 😂 Thanks to the Cryptic Crossweird crew (@momes.bsky.social, @dobolino.bsky.social & Bob Weisz) for awesome editing, and for calling me "an experienced and highly-skilled cryptic constructor, coming up with smooth wordplay and fun surfaces seemingly with ease" 😀

Larry Kline bio for Cryptic Crossweird: "Larry (aka Lowdown) (he/him) has made cryptics for The Browser, AVCX, and Out of Left Field. He lives in Toronto and is Canada's rep for the World Crossword Federation, bringing online Cryptic Crossword Championships to the US & Canada in July 2026!

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jun 15

My new cryptic went out to Cryptic Crossweird subscribers today! It's my slangiest puzzle yet, aimed at Millennials and Gen-Z (and young-seeming Xers like me!) 😎 Subscribe now! For $2.50/mo you'll get two FUN cryptics a month, with access to all past puzzles! www.patreon.com/CrypticCross... More ⬇️

New puzzle! "Two Seconds of Obscenity" by Larry Kline for Cryptic Crossweird. Photo of Larry in cap and sunglasses, standing on the lakeshore, with Toronto's skyline in the distance.

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Jun 12

It's the first #WorldCup match to be played in #Canada! 🇨🇦 (I'm in #Toronto, but not at Toronto Stadium) And there's another major competition coming to North America soon: the US & Canada Cryptic Crossword Championships! (see details below) Go Canada! Go Cryptic! #WorldCup2026 #USCanadaCrypticCC

Wide view of Toronto Stadium before the first World Cup match to be played in Canada, with a giant Canadian flag spread out on the field in the foreground

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· May 31

I haven't had a chance to write a new #Scrabblegram this month, so for the last day of May here's my 100-tile description of Rock, Paper, Scissors from May 2023 ✊🖐️✌️ #scrabble #rockpaperscissors #games

Rock Paper Scissors illustration and heading, with text below:

Three options.
Each used above next will win objectively.
Fair-and-square triangle.
Zero-sum game.
You and I pick and...
go for it!

(Scrabblegram, 100 tiles, blanks C and N)

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· May 29

We had a great meet-up of Toronto #crossword and #puzzle people this week with organizer @jessshulman.bsky.social, @sarathegood.bsky.social, @adanicklmao.bsky.social, @francidit.bsky.social, Fraser Simpson, Elliot Caroll, Fabian Corbin, Michael Busheikin, and Emma Lawson (here from Vancouver)

10 awesome, smiling people sitting on a rooftop patio

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· May 10

Dear Mom: An Awkward Collection of Notes (9) #MothersDay #cryptic #crossword #crypticclue Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing Moms out there! Solve the clue on Cryptick: ✅ cryptick.wildvale.co.uk/clue.html#RG...

A journal with "Dear Mom" inscribed on the cover lies on an open notebook next to a gold pen

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Apr 30

Just wanted to get a cryptic clue featured on #Parseword this week so I could hand things off to @avcx.bsky.social 🤣

Parseword #92 cryptic clue by Lowdown: Performing artist has no way to get around (?)

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Apr 18

Check out #LowdownLetterBank for some of my letter bank clues, and here's a fun LB clue from one of my published cryptics

Are youth increasingly mobile? Be jealous! (3,4,5,3)

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Apr 18

Was anyone else aware that yesterday's Minute Cryptic (by bixarrio) is a #letterbank clue? Nice to see so many people getting the concept from this very accessible example, even if they've never heard of letter banks! @lrlr.bsky.social @rayscotchcoulton.bsky.social

Screenshot of Minute Cryptic clue (by member bixarrio on April 17, 2026): Twice-cooked meat for partner (8)

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Apr 9

Here's another #Scrabblegram from a few years ago by the master, David Cohen @dcscrabblegram.bsky.social This one's about the Artemis I mission in 2022, which had no humans on board but three mannequins as the "crew" and a few toys floating around, including Snoopy!

Artemis I Scrabblegram (with image of Snoopy doll in a spacesuit)

With a jettisoned Snoopy as a
glorified zero-gravity guide,
a mannequin crews films up above
to explore the lunar backside.

Blanks: P, S

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Apr 7

That reminded me of this ode the moon by #Scrabblegram master David Cohen, @dcscrabblegram.bsky.social It's a quadruple Scrabblegram #poem, using the 400 tiles from four #Scrabble sets! It's also a wonderful #sonnet! Visit davesscrabblegrams.com for his amazing collection of 400+ Scrabblegrams!

The Moon (a sonnet using four sets of Scrabble tiles)

0 faithful moon in heaven's silver sea,
Our prized eternal geologic bride,
You wax or wane adjusting ocean tide,
Eclipsing pools of dark tranquility.

Next daybreak came with no apology,
Again I wait while you above me hide,
A dim RSVP from back inside
A quiet rendezvous trajectory.

At dusk once more inexorably rise,
Just up above horizon's water-edge,
Reflecting in a wave of liquid light.

Expect me in a violet sunset haze,
Abandon me all day but I won't judge,
Forgive a day's prerequisite for night.

Blanks = C, D, H, I, N, S, V, and Y

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Apr 7

Stunning images coming in from #ArtemisII crew on Orion spacecraft "Integrity" 🚀 My #Scrabblegram #poem from two years ago celebrated #Earthrise, the iconic 1968 #Apollo8 photo of Earth rising over the Moon 🌍🌑 It works equally well with today's #NASA photo of #Earthset

Image of vintage TV displaying 1968 "Earthrise" photo, with text below:

earthrise

poised in lunar trajectory,
gaze fixed on the opaque marble,
with godlike vanity about
viewing ourselves from a distance

Scrabblegram (100 tiles)
Blanks: TV!

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Mar 31

I wrote a rhyming #Scrabblegram to tell you I'm on #Instagram! 😎 Some of my best 'grams are now on the 'gram, along with photos, reels, and #cryptic clues 📸📽️🔠 #quirky #scrabble #poetry Don't be an April fool - if you're on Insta, follow me and I'll follow back: instagram.com/lowdowncryptic

Lowdown Cryptic@lowdowncryptic· Mar 28

I'm excited for this online talk with Ontario's Poet Laureate, Matthew-Ray Jones! Also known as Testament, he's a #spokenword #poet and MC 🎤✒️ It's a FREE event, on an important theme, so register ASAP and join us this Monday, March 30 at 7:30pm (ET) on Zoom: www.oraynu.org/events/an-ev...