My latest side hustle. Now creating interactive, mentally stimulating puzzle books! Try these handmade crosswords which I construct myself by hand, a pursuit I began spontaneously during the Queensland cyclone of early 2025 in a solitary, electricity-free space.
The very first book, Puzzler Paradise, is available in a huge, accessible size as a print book. There is also write-on version also for Kindle Scribe and other e-ink devices, drop a message for access to this one. Added to the crosswords are a selection of word search puzzles, mandalas for tracing or colouring, and as a bonus, writing prompts!
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, meaning I don’t use an app for automatic 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 sometimes for words 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 at least 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. If anyone thinks they might enjoy my next book, of symmetrical New York style crosswords (with spelling which may be either AU/UK or US at any time, something most readers these days are probably used to), feel free to drop a comment in the contact page, and an email address for book release alerts.
Shayley blair 