Games World of Puzzles August 2021

Welcome to the August issue of GAMES WORLD OF PUZZLES! As I was preparing to write this message, it occurred to me that ever since the merging of the former GAMES and WORLD OF PUZZLES in October 2014, we have never published a July issue. (This magazine is published nine times per year; the March, July, and November issues are skipped.) But July doesn’t deserve short shrift—after all, it’s synonymous with Independence Day, which has been a federal holiday in the U.S. since 1870.
So this month, we’re celebrating the Fourth of July in August with “State of Play” (page 34), a six-page color puzzle section by Seattle’s own Christopher Magan. This section has it all—trivia, wordplay, crossword variants, and visual elements—all centered around the 50 states of our Union. Magan is no stranger to these pages: This is his fifth multi-page special section for GAMES WORLD OF PUZZLES and its predecessors. Make it a part of your Independence Day celebration!
In addition to “State of Play,” there are more puzzles in the color section for your enjoyment. Todd Kreisman’s “Group Dynamics” (page 33) is a clever challenge that requires you to identify 16 celebrities, then separate them into four groups of four. Are you up to it? Kreisman also created this month’s contest, “Alpha Connections” (page 44), which will boggle your mind as you try to solve it.
If you need a pause from puzzling, check out Raymond Simon’s Q&A, “Letters to Margaret” (page 40). Simon spoke to Hayley Gold, the author of the new graphic novel Letters to Margaret and a member of the “crossworld” subculture (the community of solvers, constructors, and bloggers). Their exchange—and the novel itself—provide a fascinating glimpse into this subculture.
Last but not least, our Pencilwise section is packed with puzzling goodness. For word lovers, we have Don Henderson’s “Quint-Essential” (page 29), Patrick Berry’s “Sundial” (page 22), and “Jigsaw Quote” (page 64), an ingenious two-page variety cryptic by the late, great Henry Hook. Logic fans will enjoy Michael Rios’s “End View” (page 30) and Joel Nanni’s “Flustered” (page 49), a single-player variation on the classic game of Boggle.
So what are you waiting for? Sharpen your pencil (or uncap your pen) and start solving!