157: Going Off-Grid with Brooke Husic (Puzzmo Crosswords)

157: Going Off-Grid with Brooke Husic (Puzzmo Crosswords)

Author: The Secret Lives of Games July 12, 2026 Duration: 2:07:35

We chat with Brooke Husic (Puzzmo, New Yorker, A24) about creating, stewarding, and showrunning a daily crossword for the web-based puzzle phenomenon, Puzzmo. Our discussion covers Puzzmo's first 1,000 days, Brooke's prolific career as a constructor, the impact of cultural biases on crosswords, the early-2020s indie-puzzle development boom, the need to care for both solvers and setters during revisions, the interconnectedness of difficulty and context, the relationship between constructor and venue, and so! much! more! Also: Don't forget to check out today's Puzzmo midi crossword, its 1,001th, a special collaboration between two names that will be familiar to listeners of this episode.

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway

Discussed in this episode:

Puzzmo
https://www.puzzmo.com/today/ 

Today's Brooke and Rob collab puzzle, "Time to get up!"
https://www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2026-07-12/crossword

Puzzmo Data Initiative 
https://data.puzzmo.com/ 

Brooke's 30-day Crossword Tutorial Mini-series
https://www.brookehusic.com/puzzminis/ 

Brooke's puzzle blog
https://xwordsbyaladee.blogspot.com/

Rob's Puzzmo crossword debut, "Baker's Corner"
https://www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2024-05-10/crossword

Lollapuzzoola
https://bemoresmarter.com/

American Values Club (AVCX)
https://avxwords.com/about-us/ 

Ingrid
https://ingrid.cx/ 

Brooke on Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/xws.bsky.social

 

https://secretlives.games 

https://discord.gg/tslog

https://www.patreon.com/tslog


Ever wonder what really happens between the initial spark of an idea and the final product you play? The Secret Lives of Games pulls back the curtain, offering a rare, unvarnished look at the creative journey. Each episode is built around a candid conversation with a game creator, moving far beyond simple promotion to explore the messy, beautiful, and often surprising realities of their work. You’ll hear about the late-night breakthroughs, the frustrating dead ends, and the personal philosophies that shape the games we love. This podcast is less about reviews or news and more about understanding the human effort behind the pixels and code. It’s for anyone who’s curious about the art and craft of game development, whether you’re a seasoned player, an aspiring designer, or simply fascinated by creative processes. Listen in for genuine stories about problem-solving, narrative design, artistic choices, and the intricate process of building interactive worlds. These are the detailed, behind-the-scenes discussions that reveal how games truly come to life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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