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Plus doctor burnout and Sheila Heti’s diary
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Vancouver librarian Emma Lawson makes history as our first official crossword editor. Read our interview with her to find out more about the art of gridding and puzzles.

What would you say are the most important skills that you need to make crosswords?

“Patience. Some puzzles come really quickly; you can finish them in an hour. And some of them take days and days to perfect. You also have to not be afraid to kill your darlings, a little bit like writing, when sometimes you come up with a really good section but it means that this other part of the puzzle is really hard to fill. And so you end up having to take out all of this beautiful work that you did in order to make the whole puzzle a lot better. But if you have a mind that likes to solve crossword puzzles, you would probably also enjoy constructing them. It’s a puzzle in the same kind of way that solving one is.”

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The Walrus Talks at Home: Arts and Culture Right Now brings together young Canadian artists and cultural leaders who are shaping the future of arts, activism, and digital innovation.

Join us in a conversation to witness first-hand how Canada’s creators are not just participating in the arts and culture scene but are actively redefining it with their bold visions and innovative approaches.

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Samia Madwar
Senior Editor, The Walrus

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This newsletter was produced by CIBC Digital Journalism Fellow Makda Mulatu. Email us at letters@thewalrus.ca and your letter may be included in a future issue of The Walrus.



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