Tag Archives: puzzle charity

Midis for Minnesota Charity Bundle!

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The news cycle may have moved on, but the brave people of Minnesota are still dealing with the effects of ICE’s policies, past and present.

A few months ago, puzzle and game companies united to create the No Ice in Minnesota charity bundle, which did a lot of good.

But the good fight continues, so the puzzly community has rallied once more in support of their friends, neighbors, and fellow human beings.

I’m happy to help spread the word about their latest charity endeavor…

Midis for Minnesota!

A collection of 13 midi-sized crosswords, Midis for Minnesota features a world-class lineup of Minnesotan constructors.

Across Minnesota, immigrant families impacted by ICE’s presence are struggling to afford groceries, rent, and other basic essentials. These families need urgent financial support.

Simply make a donation of any amount to one of the organizations listed (or any other organization that helps those affected by ICE’s presence), and contact the creators to receive your charity bundle.

Their goal is to raise $10,000 to support their community.

Please donate, or at the very least, share the link and help get the word out about this worthwhile cause.

The people of Minnesota have shown us the true heart of America, the power of speaking out, of organization, of standing up against the masked faces of violence, racism, and corruption, and these organizations deserve our support.

Thanks for reading today.

Crossword News Roundup!

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Crossword tournament season is fully in swing and there’s plenty to keep up on AND look forward to.

The Boswords Spring Themeless League is in week 3 already, and I’ve heard rave reviews of the puzzles so far.

We’re only a few weeks out from the 48th American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, which will be the last year the event is held in Stamford, CT, before the move next year to Philadelphia.

Westwords isn’t until June, but registration is open! (And they’ve added in-person pairs solving this year.)

Also, can we talk about crossword website names for a minute? Because https://www.westwordsbestwords.com/ is a great one.

Not only that, but there’s also https://www.midwestgridfest.com/ for the Midwest Crossword Tournament, which is just delightful.

Yes, you can simply type https://www.mwxwt.com/ and get to the same information, but where is the whimsy in that?!

(P.S. The Midwest Crossword Tournament isn’t until October, but registration opens April 6th!)

Crossword Con Returns!

Puzzmo’s Third Annual Crossword Con is being held on Friday, April 10th, in Manhattan, New York (and online as well).

If you’re looking for some fascinating insight into the world of puzzles both present and future, be sure to check it out!

They just announced the panel of presenters and it is stacked: Brooke Husic, Orta Therox, Saman Bemel-Benrud, Ben Zimmer, and Adam Aaronson.

Adam very deservingly won the ORCA for Best Crossword-Related Media for his piece “Square Theory,” so I’m excited to see him revisiting the topic for Crossword Con. It will be a must-watch presentation.

Be sure to get your tickets for either in-person or online attendance. They’re including a one-year subscription to Puzzmo Plus with your purchase!

These Puzzles Fund Abortion 6

Before I wrap up today’s post, I want to remind my fellow puzzlers about the important work behind These Puzzles Fund Abortion.

They’re hoping to raise $50,000 to support safe, affordable, and accessible abortion care with the sixth edition of TPFA. You can make a donation and preorder your puzzle packet right now!

These Puzzles Fund Abortion 6 contains 21 puzzles centered around social and reproductive justice themes, all for a minimum donation of $25.

If you donate $50 or more, you will also receive the puzzle packs for the previous five years of TPFA.

With data showing that Republican presidents send maternal deaths soaring when they take office, this is a very worthy cause. I hope your finances allow you to contribute to the health and safety of others.

Happy solving, puzzlers!

These Puzzles Fund Abortion 6!

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Crossword season is here and all sorts of events for solvers are approaching fast. The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament is a little more than a month out, registration is open for Westwords, the preseason puzzle for the Boswords Spring Themeless League was launched last night, and the Spring Themeless League starts in earnest next Monday!

But it’s not just tournaments that are gearing up. Crossword-fueled charitable organizations are hard at work making puzzles and encouraging fundraising efforts for wonderful causes.

There’s a long history of activism and advocacy through puzzles. Women of Letters, Queer Qrosswords, Grids for Good… these are just a few prominent examples of constructors and creators donating their time and puzzly efforts to benefit the world at large.

And These Puzzles Fund Abortion is one of the most important.

They’re hoping to raise $50,000 to support safe, affordable, and accessible abortion care with the sixth edition of TPFA. You can make a donation and preorder your puzzle packet right now!

These Puzzles Fund Abortion 6 contains 21 puzzles centered around social and reproductive justice themes, all for a minimum donation of $25.

If you donate $50 or more, you will also receive the puzzle packs for the previous five years of TPFA.

It’s a very worthy cause and I hope you find it in your heart to contribute to the health and safety of others.

Happy solving, puzzlers!

The “No ICE in Minnesota” Charity Bundle!

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Fuck ICE.

Hi! You might not have known my feelings, either morally or politically from reading this blog, so please allow me to get my stance out of the way bluntly and clearly.

Fuck ICE.

I’ve written about this corrupt administration’s policies in the past, discussing how they’ve affected the puzzle and game industry as it regards to tariffs, manufacturing, and so on.

And I’ve happily tried to help spread the word about puzzly efforts to organize against those and many other restrictive, harmful, and ignorant policies.

So I’m overjoyed to share another game-fueled charity effort for the betterment of this country…

The No ICE in Minnesota Charity Bundle.

Many puzzle and game companies have contributed to this bundle — featuring nearly 1500 games and downloads for tabletop games, video games, books, music, and more — and all they’re asking is a minimum donation of $10.

Their goal is to raise $100,000 for the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, and they’ll be collecting until March 13th.

Here is the full statement on their itch.io link:

We created this bundle to raise funds for Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota in response to the Trump administration sending ICE agents to the Minneapolis area and the reckless murder of an innocent people by ICE agents. ILCM provides free immigration legal representation to low-income immigrants and refugees in Minnesota and North Dakota.

They also work to educate the community about immigration matters and advocates for public policies which respect the universal human rights of immigrants. ILCM provides services based on capacity and has a generally high demand for services. The more we are able to fundraise, the more people they will be able to assist.

Please donate, or at the very least, share the link and help get the word out about this worthwhile cause.

The people of Minnesota have shown us the true heart of America, the power of speaking out, of organization, of standing up against the masked faces of violence, racism, and corruption, and the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota deserves our support.

Thanks for reading today.

Oh, and one more time for the folks in the back, Fuck ICE.

The Trevor Project and the ORCAS: A Wonderful Cause and Some Wonderful Puzzles

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Just a quick post today, but a very important one.

The ORCAS, the Oscars of the crossword puzzle world, have put together a packet of this year’s nominated puzzles, and they’re yours to solve when you make a donation to The Trevor Project.

Please check out their full statement below, and if you can, please give to this amazing organization, offering crisis support services to the LQBTQIA+ community.

There’s something special about the 14th ORCAS.

Sure, we added five new awards (did someone say cryptics?) Yeah, the ballot contains 15 categories comprised of 124 nominations from 59 different outlets. But, this year, you can solve these spectacular ORCA-nominated puzzles in our first-ever puzzle pack!

All funds raised support The Trevor Project, a suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. Although suicide rates for LGBTQ+ youth are surging (39% seriously considered suicide in 2024), HHS terminated its contract for FY2026.

The puzzle pack includes 76 ORCA-nominated puzzles from 44 outlets plus five original puzzles from the Constructor of the Year nominees. Along with the puzzle pack, donors will receive early access to the ORCAS ballot, which will be posted publicly on February 3.

For information on how to make a donation and receive the puzzle pack, email: theorcaawards@gmail.com.

Join us for the ORCA awards on Monday, February 23 at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET. Co-hosts David Kwong and Ophira Eisenberg will be live at https://www.youtube.com/@orcaawards along with T Campbell, Aimee Lucido, Laura Braunstein, Katie Grogg, Christina Iverson, Ben Tausig, Stella Zawistowski, Andy Kravis, Brad Wilber, Mangesh Ghore, Peter Collins, Kim Vu, Rafael Musa, Lynn Lempel, and more.

Do you want to know just how good it’s going to be? Check out this sneak preview.

Donate to a Worthy Cause with Power Word Meal!

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There are always worthwhile charitable efforts going on in the world of puzzles and games, and that’s true in the roleplaying game community as well.

Will of DnD Shorts is partnering with the United Nations’ Share the Meal program for a charity promotion called Power Word Meal, a charity venture with a simple, yet very important edict: no child should go hungry.

Every 85 cents donated means 1 meal given to someone in need. A $40 donation is FIFTY meals.

Tabletop game designers from all over the world are helping amplify the reach of this project, spreading the word across social media and contributing to a special gift for donors.

And there is a bonus for any RPG enthusiasts who donate:

Everyone who donates to this campaign can receive a free PDF bundle including an epic one-shot adventure and a new playable species for Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons, letting you and those you love play the heroes in your games that you are in real life. You are saving real lives while forging bonds and memories across the game table.

Please click this link for more information, and if you’re an RPG fan, just use your email to sign up for alerts, follow the instructions, and share the PDF receipt of your donation to receive your free PDF bundle.

And for those unfamiliar with the world of tabletop RPGs, you might be wondering about the origins of the name Power Word Meal.

There are a series of spells in Dungeons & Dragons based on the idea that you’ve learned a word of power, and that by speaking that single word, you can cause a magical effect. Power Word Stun, Power Word Blind, and most famously, Power Word Kill, are terribly dangerous, terribly effective spells.

Which makes it genuinely lovely to see that idea turned on its head with Power Word Meal, spreading the idea that we DO have the power to help others. Not with a magic word of eldritch might, but with a few clicks, a few screen taps, a few dollars, a few moments of our time.

So please cast Power Word Meal with us and make the lives of some deserving strangers better.

Thank you, and happy spellcasting, everyone!