Blog du Wren

Cover Story of the Skagit Valley Herald

I've posted a number of times here on BdW about small town newspapers and the occasions I have appeared. I even have a series of posts called "Minor Media Mentions" where I capture for posterity the occasional photos or blurbs that make it to various print media outlets. This latest, however, doesn't feel like it quite fits the category "Minor". Recently, a about me and my crossword endeavors was featured on the front page of the Skagit Valley Herald.

The SVH runs the Universal crossword, which, up until this past year, was a somewhat of a throw away puzzle constructed and edited by a persona non grata. Then editorship was taken over by David Steinberg, a great editor I've worked at the Orange Country Register and the Puzzle Society. This allowed for some of my puzzles to appear in the paper, which I thought was neat, something a small town paper might be inclined to point out—"Today's crossword is by area man" or whatever. So I pitched the idea when I had a puzzle coming out. To make a long story short, this article is what came of the pitch, notably not in conjunction with one of my puzzles. In fact, it doesn't even mention having a puzzle in the SVH, which was the pitch in the first place.

I can't deny that it is nice to have a feature story about me on the front page of my town's newspaper (albeit with a less than flattering photo). It feels like a neat nod to this thing I do. It would have been great if things could have come together to have the feature run with a puzzle, but I guess you can't have it all. If you want to try some of my puzzles, I've started a bit of a resume, as it were. Here's to hoping it keeps growing.

Monday September 23 2019

File under: media, crossword

Toggle Comments (3)

comment?

on Tue 24th Sep, 2019 08:07 pm EDT Chris said:
Congrats! Although I can't say I appreciate the cliffhanger - how did it all end on page A9?!?
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on Tue 24th Sep, 2019 08:10 pm EDT Chris...again said:
Ok, I'm an idiot, I JUST found the link the whole article you so blatantly provided :-( , I have shamed our honored brotherhood of SVH front pagers!
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on Wed 13th Nov, 2019 04:30 pm EST Horge said:
Nice work. One question, are you planning to post a copy of this Skagit article on your wall with the crosswords? That'd be pretty meta. Though I think you should also then post on your wall a copy of this Blog article talking about the Skagit article talking about your crosswords. Now that'd be some Inception-level meta-ness. (p.s. check your email dude)
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