Announcing my newest venture… interactive, mentally stimulating puzzle books! Try the handmade crosswords I built myself, a pursuit began spontaneously during the Queensland cyclone of early 2025 in a solitary electricity-free space.
The very first edition of Puzzler Paradise is available in a huge, accessible size as a print book, and there is a write-on version also for Kindle Scribe and other e-ink devices. Added to the crosswords are a selection of word search puzzles, mandalas for tracing or colouring, and as a bonus, writing prompts! The Etsy store includes more images, to allow an insight into the puzzles and see if they might be for you.
Shop for Puzzler Paradise print book here:
Puzzle and Hustle Update!
I have now conquered the art of symmetrical puzzles! A challenge at first, especially since I create these crosswords all by hand, that is I don’t use an app for layout or fill. The technique I use, and will continue to do so, involves simply a grid from a table in Word. Of course there are internet searches to fill spaces, but even the world’s best crossword constructors do that!
The puzzles in my first book, Puzzler Paradise, follow the British style, with random black square placement. The more difficult to create symmetrical style is also referred to as NYT (New York Times) layout. Maybe by now, I have created almost ten of these, and three so far have been rejected by NYT (like most people I have heard, starting out!).
Here is one of my first symmetrical experiments for you to download and try. This one has a bit of fun Australian fill. And soon as (time allows, as this is a hobby job for now!) I will also add one of the submission rejects which I actually love. It has symmetry, it has theme, and it’s only a little crazy. If anyone thinks they might enjoy my next book, of symmetrical New York style crosswords, feel free to drop a comment in the contact page, and an email address for book release alerts.
Shayley blair 