Cryptic Puzzles by Emily Cox & Henry Rathvon

This site exists largely due to the patient encouragement of Dan Chall and Lukas Karlsson, who expressed an interest in making our pre-computer and previously published Atlantic Monthly and Wall Street Journal variety cryptics available to aficionados. By the time we retired from our puzzle-writing labors in December of 2023, Lukas had managed to convert them all to downloadable files, posting them here for solvers' personal use with our blessing.

We blush to admit that our first published puzzles, starting in September of 1977, were created in a state of cheerful ignorance. With no tools fancier than pencils, graph paper, and a few desktop reference books, we did our best to imitate the cryptic crosswords of Stephen Sondheim and Richard Maltby from New York magazine; but our efforts were guided less by discipline than by enthusiasm. While we feel apologetic about the messiness of our early work, we regard this trove as a fossil record. Anyone crazy enough to solve all our puzzles in chronological order will see an evolution in style, with the strict "no-connectors" philosophy of Fraser Simpson becoming evident toward the end. In any case, we welcome you all. We thank Dan and Lukas for their persistent dedication to this project, we salute today's creators who continue to expand on the cryptic form in their own styles, and we're grateful to devotees who are spreading the word via media whose existence we never dreamed of when we were getting started. Cheers!

—Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon (12/31/23)

2023-12-16
wsj #181
2023-11-17
wsj #180
2023-10-21
wsj #179
2023-09-24
wsj #178
2023-08-26
wsj #177
2023-07-29
wsj #176
2023-07-01
wsj #175
2023-06-03
wsj #174
2023-05-06
wsj #173
2023-04-08
wsj #172
2023-03-11
wsj #171
2023-02-11
wsj #170
2023-01-14
wsj #169
2022-12-17
wsj #168
2022-11-19
wsj #167
2022-10-22
wsj #166
2022-09-24
wsj #165
2022-08-27
wsj #164
2022-07-30
wsj #163
2022-07-01
wsj #162
2022-06-04
wsj #161
2022-05-07
wsj #160
2022-04-09
wsj #159
2022-03-12
wsj #158
2022-02-12
wsj #157
2022-01-15
wsj #156
2021-12-04
wsj #155
2021-11-06
wsj #154
2021-10-09
wsj #153
2021-09-11
wsj #152
2021-08-14
wsj #151
2021-07-17
wsj #150
2021-06-19
wsj #149
2021-05-22
wsj #148
2021-04-24
wsj #147
2021-03-27
wsj #146
2021-02-27
wsj #145
2021-01-30
wsj #144
2021-01-02
wsj #143
2020-12-05
wsj #142
2020-11-07
wsj #141
2020-10-10
wsj #140
2020-09-12
wsj #139
2020-08-15
wsj #138
2020-07-18
wsj #137
2020-06-13
wsj #136
2020-05-16
wsj #135
2020-04-18
wsj #134
2020-03-21
wsj #133
2020-02-22
wsj #132
2020-01-25
wsj #131
2019-12-28
wsj #130
2019-11-30
wsj #129
2019-11-02
wsj #128
2019-10-05
wsj #127
2019-09-07
wsj #126
2019-08-10
wsj #125
2019-07-13
wsj #124
2019-06-15
wsj #123
2019-05-18
wsj #122
2019-04-20
wsj #121
2019-03-23
wsj #120
2019-02-23
wsj #119
2019-01-26
wsj #118
2018-12-29
wsj #117
2018-12-01
wsj #116
2018-11-03
wsj #115
2018-10-06
wsj #114
2018-09-08
wsj #113
2018-08-11
wsj #112
2018-07-14
wsj #111
2018-06-16
wsj #110
2018-05-19
wsj #109
2018-04-21
wsj #108
2018-03-24
wsj #107
2018-02-24
wsj #106
2018-01-27
wsj #105
2017-12-30
wsj #104
2017-12-02
wsj #103
2017-11-04
wsj #102
2017-10-07
wsj #101
2017-09-09
wsj #100
2017-08-12
wsj #99
2017-07-15
wsj #98
2017-06-17
wsj #97
2017-05-20
wsj #96
2017-04-22
wsj #95
2017-03-25
wsj #94
2017-02-25
wsj #93
2017-01-28
wsj #92
2016-12-31
wsj #91
2016-12-03
wsj #90
2016-11-05
wsj #89
2016-10-08
wsj #88
2016-09-10
wsj #87
2016-08-13
wsj #86
2016-07-16
wsj #85
2016-06-18
wsj #84
2016-05-21
wsj #83
2016-04-23
wsj #82
2016-03-26
wsj #81
2016-02-27
wsj #80
2016-01-30
wsj #79
2016-01-02
wsj #78
2015-12-05
wsj #77
2015-11-07
wsj #76
2015-10-10
wsj #75
2015-09-12
wsj #74
2015-08-15
wsj #73
2015-07-18
wsj #72
2015-06-13
wsj #71
2015-05-16
wsj #70
2015-04-18
wsj #69
2015-03-21
wsj #68
2015-02-21
wsj #67
2015-01-24
wsj #66
2014-12-27
wsj #65
2014-11-29
wsj #64
2014-11-01
wsj #63
2014-10-04
wsj #62
2014-09-06
wsj #61
2014-08-09
wsj #60
2014-07-12
wsj #59
2014-06-14
wsj #58
2014-05-17
wsj #57
2014-04-19
wsj #56
2014-03-22
wsj #55
2014-02-22
wsj #54
2014-01-25
wsj #53
2013-12-28
wsj #52
2013-11-30
wsj #51
2013-11-02
wsj #50
2013-10-05
wsj #49
2013-09-07
wsj #48
2013-08-10
wsj #47
2013-06-29
wsj #46
2013-06-15
wsj #45
2013-05-18
wsj #44
2013-04-20
wsj #43
2013-03-23
wsj #42
2013-02-23
wsj #41
2013-01-26
wsj #40
2012-12-29
wsj #39
2012-12-01
wsj #38
2012-11-03
wsj #37
2012-10-06
wsj #36
2012-09-08
wsj #35
2012-08-11
wsj #34
2012-07-14
wsj #33
2012-06-16
wsj #32
2012-05-19
wsj #31
2012-04-21
wsj #30
2012-03-24
wsj #29
2012-02-25
wsj #28
2012-01-28
wsj #27
2011-12-31
wsj #26
2011-12-03
wsj #25
2011-11-05
wsj #24
2011-10-08
wsj #23
2011-09-10
wsj #22
2011-08-13
wsj #21
2011-07-16
wsj #20
2011-06-18
wsj #19
2011-05-21
wsj #18
2011-04-23
wsj #17
2011-03-26
wsj #16
2011-02-26
wsj #15
2011-01-29
wsj #14
2010-12-18
wsj #13
2010-11-20
wsj #12
2010-10-23
wsj #11
2010-09-25
wsj #10
2010-08-28
wsj #9
2010-07-31
wsj #8
2010-07-03
wsj #7
2010-06-05
wsj #6
2010-05-08
wsj #5
2010-04-10
wsj #4
2010-03-13
wsj #3
2010-02-13
wsj #2
2010-01-16
wsj #1
2009-10-01
atlantic #370
2009-09-01
atlantic #369
2009-07-01
atlantic #368
2009-06-01
atlantic #367
2009-05-01
atlantic #366
2009-04-01
atlantic #365
2009-03-01
atlantic #364
2009-01-01
atlantic #363
2008-12-01
atlantic #362
2008-11-01
atlantic #361
2008-10-01
atlantic #360
2008-09-01
atlantic #359
2008-07-01
atlantic #358
2008-06-01
atlantic #357
2008-05-01
atlantic #356
2008-04-01
atlantic #355
2008-03-01
atlantic #354
2008-01-01
atlantic #353
2007-12-01
atlantic #352
2007-11-01
atlantic #351
2007-10-01
atlantic #350
2007-09-01
atlantic #349
2007-07-01
atlantic #348
2007-06-01
atlantic #347
2007-05-01
atlantic #346
2007-04-01
atlantic #345
2007-03-01
atlantic #344
2007-01-01
atlantic #343
2006-12-01
atlantic #342
2006-11-01
atlantic #341
2006-10-01
atlantic #340
2006-09-01
atlantic #339
2006-07-01
atlantic #338
2006-06-01
atlantic #337
2006-05-01
atlantic #336
2006-04-01
atlantic #335
2006-03-01
atlantic #334
2006-01-01
atlantic #333
2005-12-01
atlantic #332
2005-11-01
atlantic #331
2005-10-01
atlantic #330
2005-09-01
atlantic #329
2005-07-01
atlantic #328
2005-06-01
atlantic #327
2005-05-01
atlantic #326
2005-04-01
atlantic #325
2005-03-01
atlantic #324
2005-01-01
atlantic #323
2004-12-01
atlantic #322
2004-11-01
atlantic #321
2004-10-01
atlantic #320
2004-09-01
atlantic #319
2004-07-01
atlantic #318
2004-06-01
atlantic #317
2004-05-01
atlantic #316
2004-04-01
atlantic #315
2004-03-01
atlantic #314
2004-01-01
atlantic #313
2003-12-01
atlantic #312
2003-11-01
atlantic #311
2003-10-01
atlantic #310
2003-09-01
atlantic #309
2003-07-01
atlantic #308
2003-06-01
atlantic #307
2003-05-01
atlantic #306
2003-04-01
atlantic #305
2003-03-01
atlantic #304
2003-01-01
atlantic #303
2002-12-01
atlantic #302
2002-11-01
atlantic #301
2002-10-01
atlantic #300
2002-09-01
atlantic #299
2002-07-01
atlantic #298
2002-06-01
atlantic #297
2002-05-01
atlantic #296
2002-04-01
atlantic #295
2002-03-01
atlantic #294
2002-02-01
atlantic #293
2002-01-01
atlantic #292
2001-12-01
atlantic #291
2001-11-01
atlantic #290
2001-10-01
atlantic #289
2001-09-01
atlantic #288
2001-07-01
atlantic #287
2001-06-01
atlantic #286
2001-05-01
atlantic #285
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atlantic #284
2001-03-01
atlantic #283
2001-02-01
atlantic #282
2001-01-01
atlantic #281
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atlantic #280
2000-11-01
atlantic #279
2000-10-01
atlantic #278
2000-09-01
atlantic #277
2000-08-01
atlantic #276
2000-07-01
atlantic #275
2000-06-01
atlantic #274
2000-05-01
atlantic #273
2000-04-01
atlantic #272
2000-03-01
atlantic #271
2000-02-01
atlantic #270
2000-01-01
atlantic #269
1999-12-01
atlantic #268
1999-11-01
atlantic #267
1999-10-01
atlantic #266
1999-09-01
atlantic #265
1999-08-01
atlantic #264
1999-07-01
atlantic #263
1999-06-01
atlantic #262
1999-05-01
atlantic #261
1999-04-01
atlantic #260
1999-03-01
atlantic #259
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atlantic #258
1999-01-01
atlantic #257
1998-12-01
atlantic #256
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atlantic #255
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atlantic #254
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atlantic #253
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atlantic #252
1998-07-01
atlantic #251
1998-06-01
atlantic #250
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atlantic #249
1998-04-01
atlantic #248
1998-03-01
atlantic #247
1998-02-01
atlantic #246
1998-01-01
atlantic #245
1997-12-01
atlantic #244
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atlantic #243
1997-10-01
atlantic #242
1997-09-01
atlantic #241
1997-08-01
atlantic #240
1997-07-01
atlantic #239
1997-06-01
atlantic #238
1997-05-01
atlantic #237
1997-04-01
atlantic #236
1997-03-01
atlantic #235
1997-02-01
atlantic #234
1997-01-01
atlantic #233
1996-12-01
atlantic #232
1996-11-01
atlantic #231
1996-10-01
atlantic #230
1996-09-01
atlantic #229
1996-08-01
atlantic #228
1996-07-01
atlantic #227
1996-06-01
atlantic #226
1996-05-01
atlantic #225
1996-04-01
atlantic #224
1996-03-01
atlantic #223
1996-02-01
atlantic #222
1996-01-01
atlantic #221
1995-12-01
atlantic #220
1995-11-01
atlantic #219
1995-10-01
atlantic #218
1995-09-01
atlantic #217
1995-08-01
atlantic #216
1995-07-01
atlantic #215
1995-06-01
atlantic #214
1995-05-01
atlantic #213
1995-04-01
atlantic #212
1995-03-01
atlantic #211
1995-02-01
atlantic #210
1995-01-01
atlantic #209
1994-12-01
atlantic #208
1994-11-01
atlantic #207
1994-10-01
atlantic #206
1994-09-01
atlantic #205
1994-08-01
atlantic #204
1994-07-01
atlantic #203
1994-06-01
atlantic #202
1994-05-01
atlantic #201
1994-04-01
atlantic #200
1994-03-01
atlantic #199
1994-02-01
atlantic #198
1994-01-01
atlantic #197
1993-12-01
atlantic #196
1993-11-01
atlantic #195
1993-10-01
atlantic #194
1993-09-01
atlantic #193
1993-08-01
atlantic #192
1993-07-01
atlantic #191
1993-06-01
atlantic #190
1993-05-01
atlantic #189
1993-04-01
atlantic #188
1993-03-01
atlantic #187
1993-02-01
atlantic #186
1993-01-01
atlantic #185
1992-12-01
atlantic #184
1992-11-01
atlantic #183
1992-10-01
atlantic #182
1992-09-01
Hex
atlantic #181
1992-08-01
atlantic #180
1992-07-01
atlantic #179
1992-06-01
atlantic #178
1992-05-01
atlantic #177
1992-04-01
atlantic #176
1992-03-01
atlantic #175
1992-02-01
atlantic #174
1992-01-01
atlantic #173
1991-12-01
atlantic #172
1991-11-01
atlantic #171
1991-10-01
atlantic #170
1991-09-01
atlantic #169
1991-08-01
atlantic #168
1991-07-01
atlantic #167
1991-06-01
atlantic #166
1991-05-01
atlantic #165
1991-04-01
atlantic #164
1991-03-01
atlantic #163
1991-02-01
atlantic #162
1991-01-01
atlantic #161
1990-12-01
atlantic #160
1990-11-01
atlantic #159
1990-10-01
atlantic #158
1990-09-01
atlantic #157
1990-08-01
atlantic #156
1990-07-01
atlantic #155
1990-06-01
atlantic #154
1990-05-01
atlantic #153
1990-04-01
atlantic #152
1990-03-01
atlantic #151
1990-02-01
atlantic #150
1990-01-01
atlantic #149
1989-12-01
atlantic #148
1989-11-01
atlantic #147
1989-10-01
atlantic #146
1989-09-01
atlantic #145
1989-08-01
atlantic #144
1989-07-01
atlantic #143
1989-06-01
atlantic #142
1989-05-01
atlantic #141
1989-04-01
atlantic #140
1989-03-01
atlantic #139
1989-02-01
atlantic #138
1989-01-01
atlantic #137
1988-12-01
atlantic #136
1988-11-01
atlantic #135
1988-10-01
atlantic #134
1988-09-01
atlantic #133
1988-08-01
atlantic #132
1988-07-01
atlantic #131
1988-06-01
atlantic #130
1988-05-01
atlantic #129
1988-04-01
atlantic #128
1988-03-01
atlantic #127
1988-02-01
atlantic #126
1988-01-01
atlantic #125
1987-12-01
atlantic #124
1987-11-01
atlantic #123
1987-10-01
atlantic #122
1987-09-01
atlantic #121
1987-08-01
atlantic #120
1987-07-01
atlantic #119
1987-06-01
Hex
atlantic #118
1987-05-01
atlantic #117
1987-04-01
atlantic #116
1987-03-01
atlantic #115
1987-02-01
atlantic #114
1987-01-01
atlantic #113
1986-12-01
atlantic #112
1986-11-01
atlantic #111
1986-10-01
atlantic #110
1986-09-01
atlantic #109
1986-08-01
atlantic #108
1986-07-01
atlantic #107
1986-06-01
atlantic #106
1986-05-01
atlantic #105
1986-04-01
atlantic #104
1986-03-01
atlantic #103
1986-02-01
atlantic #102
1986-01-01
atlantic #101
1985-12-01
atlantic #100
1985-11-01
atlantic #99
1985-10-01
atlantic #98
1985-09-01
atlantic #97
1985-08-01
atlantic #96
1985-07-01
atlantic #95
1985-06-01
atlantic #94
1985-05-01
atlantic #93
1985-04-01
atlantic #92
1985-03-01
atlantic #91
1985-02-01
atlantic #90
1985-01-01
atlantic #89
1984-12-01
atlantic #88
1984-11-01
atlantic #87
1984-10-01
atlantic #86
1984-09-01
atlantic #85
1984-08-01
ABC
atlantic #84
1984-07-01
atlantic #83
1984-06-01
atlantic #82
1984-05-01
atlantic #81
1984-04-01
atlantic #80
1984-03-01
atlantic #79
1984-02-01
atlantic #78
1984-01-01
atlantic #77
1983-12-01
atlantic #76
1983-11-01
atlantic #75
1983-10-01
atlantic #74
1983-09-01
atlantic #73
1983-08-01
atlantic #72
1983-07-01
atlantic #71
1983-06-01
atlantic #70
1983-05-01
atlantic #69
1983-04-01
atlantic #68
1983-03-01
atlantic #67
1983-02-01
atlantic #66
1983-01-01
atlantic #65
1982-12-01
atlantic #64
1982-11-01
atlantic #63
1982-10-01
atlantic #62
1982-09-01
atlantic #61
1982-08-01
atlantic #60
1982-07-01
atlantic #59
1982-06-01
atlantic #58
1982-05-01
atlantic #57
1982-04-01
atlantic #56
1982-03-01
atlantic #55
1982-02-01
atlantic #54
1982-01-01
atlantic #53
1981-12-01
atlantic #52
1981-11-01
atlantic #51
1981-10-01
atlantic #50
1981-09-01
atlantic #49
1981-08-01
atlantic #48
1981-07-01
atlantic #47
1981-06-01
atlantic #46
1981-05-01
atlantic #45
1981-04-01
atlantic #44
1981-03-01
atlantic #43
1981-02-01
atlantic #42
1981-01-01
atlantic #41
1980-12-01
atlantic #40
1980-11-01
atlantic #39
1980-10-01
atlantic #38
1980-09-01
atlantic #37
1980-08-01
atlantic #36
1980-07-01
atlantic #35
1980-06-01
atlantic #34
1980-05-01
atlantic #33
1980-04-01
atlantic #32
1980-03-01
atlantic #31
1980-02-01
atlantic #30
1980-01-01
atlantic #29
1979-12-01
atlantic #28
1979-11-01
atlantic #27
1979-10-01
atlantic #26
1979-09-01
atlantic #25
1979-08-01
atlantic #24
1979-07-01
atlantic #23
1979-06-01
atlantic #22
1979-05-01
atlantic #21
1979-04-01
atlantic #20
1979-03-01
atlantic #19
1979-02-01
atlantic #18
1979-01-01
atlantic #17
1978-12-01
atlantic #16
1978-11-01
atlantic #15
1978-10-01
atlantic #14
1978-09-01
atlantic #13
1978-08-01
atlantic #12
1978-07-01
atlantic #11
1978-06-01
atlantic #10
1978-05-01
atlantic #9
1978-04-01
atlantic #8
1978-03-01
atlantic #7
1978-02-01
atlantic #6
1978-01-01
atlantic #5
1977-12-01
atlantic #4
1977-11-01
atlantic #3
1977-10-01
atlantic #2
1977-09-01
atlantic #1