Ryan Patrick Smith
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writerlyryan.bsky.social
Ryan Patrick Smith
@writerlyryan.bsky.social
940 followers 4.9K following 120 posts
Writer, word nerd, film buff. Currently codeveloping a sci-fi board game. He/him.
Board game deets: https://waxriver.com/
Crossword blog: http://realpuzzlingstuff.com
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writerlyryan.bsky.social
With all the recent Alex Honnold coverage, I couldn't help but recall this Cyanide & Happiness classic
Reporter: "The whole world is wondering: why did you you want to climb Mount Everest?" Climber: "Because it's there." Reporter: "How inspiring! Any further comments you'd like to tell the people at home?" In the last panel of the comic, the climber is standing atop the reporter's head. -from Cyanide & Happiness
January 26, 2026 at 4:46 AM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Just reached my 1st ending of Dead Letter Dept., which I learned of via @jacobgeller.com's 2025 gaming roundup.

@skullthug.bsky.social serves up claustrophobic late-capitalist horror by way of an engrossing dead mail data entry conceit -- I echo Geller's endorsement!

P.S. Watch Dead Mail ('24) too
A dingy workspace with a boxy computer. Displayed on the computer monitor is a scanned upload of a piece of undeliverable mail with some text highlighted for the worker at the keyboard to input.
January 19, 2026 at 7:03 AM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Tried out Upwords with the 'rents last night. Fun!
An Upwords game board densely populated with words such as BEWARE, RAZORS and PIRACY
January 8, 2026 at 9:57 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
I have a new puzzle to share as we head into the new year! Think I managed some clever clues here; hope you enjoy the solve. ✍️

realpuzzlingstuff.com/travel-write...

1A: Craft for which Boston is famous (9 letters)
41A: Youngster working on a shoot, maybe (8 letters)
Travel Writers + Tropical Cocktails - Real Puzzling Stuff
67-Across: Opposable chums?
realpuzzlingstuff.com
December 27, 2025 at 11:55 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Sad to hear about James Ransone. His performance as one of the most impactful characters in The Wire S2 was tremendous and will stick with me always.
A disheveled Baltimore kid with raven hair, a bruised face, and a ghost of a mustache (from The Wire).
December 22, 2025 at 5:31 AM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Had my most satisfying #Wordle experience ever the other day
A Wordle game in which GREAT was the first guess and GUESS the second. GUESS was the solution to the puzzle.
December 17, 2025 at 8:11 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Wrote today's @puzzmo.com #crossword! My personal interests are well represented here, so I hope you enjoy the #puzzle: www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2025-...
Puzzmo - Cross|word
Play Cross|word on Puzzmo, Take a hint.
www.puzzmo.com
December 14, 2025 at 7:29 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Happy holidays! I just pubbed a tricky new themeless #crossword to my #puzzle blog, if anyone fancies a challenge: realpuzzlingstuff.com/satire-and-s...

14A: Food in a meteorological simile (7 letters)
34A: Scorekeeper? (10 letters)
A themeless crossword grid resembling a vine with leaves protruding on either side.
December 2, 2025 at 8:58 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Taking a moment to appreciate the iconic carpet pattern at PDX (on a friend's advice)
A pleasing geometric design on the green carpet of the Portland airport. Sort of suggests a sextant.
December 2, 2025 at 6:15 AM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
I have a new @puzzmo.com #crossword today! Enjoy the solve and have a happy Thanksgiving 🧡

www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2025-...
Puzzmo - Cross|word
Play Cross|word on Puzzmo, Take a hint.
www.puzzmo.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Back in The Daily Baffle with a new Morphology word ladder #puzzle today!

Enjoy: dailybaffle.com/morphology 👀
A word ladder puzzle waiting for someone to fill it in...
November 20, 2025 at 4:28 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
I made today's LA Times #crossword #puzzle! Hope it provides a satisfying challenge 👀
A wide-open 15x15 themeless crossword grid. 1A is highlighted: "For me? you shouldn't have!"
November 1, 2025 at 6:08 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
#GhostOfYotei is gorgeous, damn. Sound design's really dialed in too. #VirtualPhotography
In a grassy cloak, Atsu looks off at a distant mountain as dark clouds above threaten rain. Atsu astride her black horse, riding through water as the setting sun illuminates half of her face. Astride her black horse, Atsu eases into thick trees, towards the sun. (The autumn filter has been applied.) Atsu looks out across vivid green grass at the distant, snow-capped peak of Mount Yōtei.
October 26, 2025 at 9:10 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Making my Cryptic Crossweird debut today! I hope fans of #cryptic #crossword #puzzles will consider subscribing to solve my and others' work: www.patreon.com/cw/CrypticCr...

Sample clues from my puzzle:
5A Clownish activity out of Quantico (5)
10A Small subatomic particle often overlooked (5,2)
A 13x8 cryptic crossword grid (a lattice of black and white squares). It's titled "Pets in Hats," was written by Ryan Patrick Smith, and was published by Cryptic Crossweird.
October 6, 2025 at 5:04 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Happy fall, #puzzle people! 🎃 I've just published a new Slide + Seek sliding puzzle for your amusement: realpuzzlingstuff.com/slide-seek-9/

Hope it makes for a fun diversion from my usual #crossword fare and everything slides into place for you! 👀
A Slide + Seek tile sliding puzzle. In its scrambled form, the grid reads PISPRO, SACHAB, KYNTED, EOTESS, DEOO, LAOR.
October 3, 2025 at 9:41 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Back in Puzzmo today, #puzzle peeps: www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2025-...

Hope you enjoy the #crossword! 😊

@puzzmo.com #Puzzmo
Puzzmo - Cross|word
Play Cross|word on Puzzmo, Take a hint.
www.puzzmo.com
September 10, 2025 at 8:44 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Excited to be debuting in the newly launched Daily Baffle today! The format of my #puzzle is called Morphology and will be up the alley of anyone who enjoys a good word ladder 🙂

If you've had fun with my #crossword puzzles, give it a look: dailybaffle.com/morphology

Thx to Julian for having me!
September 4, 2025 at 6:41 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Finished #SwordOfTheSea last night! 🗡🌊 Really lovely little game (abrupt ending notwithstanding)

#VirtualPhotography
A gondola lit from within sits at the edge of a cliff in the blue expanse of the Sacred River region. The Wraith gets some air riding a shark as blue and pink hues collide in the sky above. The Wraith's blue flame resembles the blue light in the right half of the image, while the red flame of an engraved serpent's eye illuminates the left half of the image. The bones of ancient sea creatures litter a flooded cave, as do stalactites, stalagmites, and red kelp. In the foreground, the Wraith rides a live plesiosaur.
September 1, 2025 at 12:04 AM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Muscovy ducks + sea serpent statue by Mueller Lake in Austin #photography
Two Muscovy ducks (brown with red growths around the eyes) stand at the flagstoned edge of Lake Mueller, off of whose rippling surface the setting sun reflects. A sea monster statue with a glowing blue eye, captured in profile at the edge of Mueller Lake Park. The surrounding trees match its chartreuse belly, while its blue back is mirrored by the cloud cover overhead. Just past the statue, a woman in yellow sits on a bench in a playground, her back to the camera.
August 31, 2025 at 12:56 AM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
The way the weather evolves in this game is just *chef's kiss* 😍

#DeathStranding #DeathStranding2 #VirtualPhotography
In his hooded jacket and exoskeletal legs, Sam looks out over the shadowed expanse of the desert as the setting sun pokes through thick cloud cover far in the distance.
August 29, 2025 at 3:20 AM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Just pubbed a quirky new #crossword puzzle to my blog: realpuzzlingstuff.com/drops-of-col...

Hope y'all get a kick out of the theme. 🙂

19A: Recent Best Picture winner with an acronymic title (4 letters)
28D: Xmas transmission, maybe (5 letters)
Drops of Color - Real Puzzling Stuff
68-Across: Pop artist/AIDS activist Keith
realpuzzlingstuff.com
August 28, 2025 at 12:45 AM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Don't sleep on #SwordOfTheSea, the latest beautiful adventure from Giant Squid Games!

The undulating landscapes and smooth snowboard-y traversal go together like PB & J, and @awintory.bsky.social delivers as always with a rich, enthralling score. 🐬
The Wraith (the player character) leaps from a mossy rooftop as ocean fauna glide by below. A zoomed-out view of a vast chamber in which schools of tropical fish drift by and broad shafts of sun stream in through holes in the ceiling. The Wraith looks into the camera, at rest in a patch of shade in a canyon. Two waterfalls appear behind her. Crouched, the Wraith rides an orca with dozens of white fish on all sides.
August 24, 2025 at 9:17 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Just unboxed the #Daggerheart starter set 👀 Excited to get acquainted!
The Daggerheart Core Rulebook, its cover adorned with sunset hues and a range of different sample characters in action, sits beside the box of colorful cards needed to play.
August 19, 2025 at 6:37 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
If you see this, post a knight!
Kyle Katarn (of the Jedi Knight games) cuts down a stormtrooper with his blue lightsaber.
August 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
So exciting to have print issues of #GameInformer dropping again! Beautifully produced and solidly written magazines 🎮
A human in a Psycho mask in profile on the striking Borderlands 4-themed red cover of the latest Game Informer. An open issue of Game Informer showing two profiles from Summer Game Fest, on Mixtape and Sword of the Sea. An open issue of Game Informer showing a mix of atmospheric and action shots from the new Borderlands, alongside the text of the write-up.
August 5, 2025 at 10:03 PM