Ryan Patrick Smith
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writerlyryan.bsky.social
Ryan Patrick Smith
@writerlyryan.bsky.social
880 followers 4.9K following 100 posts
Author of puzzles, screenplays, and more. Currently codeveloping a sci-fi board game. He/him.
Crossword blog: http://realpuzzlingstuff.com
FilmFreeway page: https://filmfreeway.com/RyanPatrickSmith
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writerlyryan.bsky.social
Ryan Patrick Smith @writerlyryan.bsky.social · Oct 6
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.
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
writerlyryan.bsky.social
New blog #crossword, friends! I think the theme material here's pretty lively; hope you agree. ✒️

realpuzzlingstuff.com/gotta-go-fast/

1A - Fabric named for a Middle Eastern metropolis (6 letters)
36A - Naturally occurring zigzag (15 letters)
Gotta Go Fast - Real Puzzling Stuff
14-Across: Hefty sword akin to a katana
realpuzzlingstuff.com
August 3, 2025 at 11:04 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Excited to be making my @puzzmo.com #crossword debut today! Should be a fairy breezy midi solve 🙂

www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2025-...

S/o to @xws.bsky.social for all her editorial guidance!
Puzzmo - Cross|word
Play Cross|word on Puzzmo, Take a hint.
www.puzzmo.com
July 29, 2025 at 3:46 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Visuals and vibes in the new #DeathStranding are immaculate. Can't wait to play more! 🤩 #VirtualPhotography #PhotoMode
A smiling Sam in jaunty sunglasses stands among verdant foliage in Mexico. Sam looks out over a shallow stretch of river wending through rough-hewn desert terrain. His face and hair caked with sand as a sandstorm churns behind him, Sam sticks his tongue out at the camera. Nightfall in the Mexican desert. Sam grins and gives a thumbs-up as he points to mountains in the near distance.
July 7, 2025 at 9:43 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
I'm back in the Browser this week with a fresh #cryptic #crossword 👀

10A: Stark neo-noir piece (4,3)
6D: Modern artist's dreamy siesta after Mass (7)

Happy solving! As ever, I'd love to tune in for any streams 🙂 S/o to Dan Feyer for the edit!
The Browser's giraffe mascot nibbles the header "The Browser Crossword," written on white blocks to suggest such a puzzle. Below: "Cryptic #229 by Ryan Patrick Smith: July 6, 2025 - edited by Dan Feyer."
July 6, 2025 at 6:46 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
New themed crossword with an old-school wordplay theme: realpuzzlingstuff.com/a-little-qui...

14-Across: Subject of a touching story? (5 letters)
33-Down: Draw of Nashville or New Orleans (9 letters)

Happy solving! ✍🏾
A Little Quid Pro Quo - Real Puzzling Stuff
6-Down: One-eyed hero of a 2016 animated film
realpuzzlingstuff.com
June 30, 2025 at 10:22 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Lovely beadwork and sewing on display at the Backstreet Cultural Museum in NOLA!
A wall of brightly colored, elaborately beaded Mardi Gras Indian costumes. An ornate castle design covered entirely in beads.
June 19, 2025 at 9:51 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Just pubbed a new themeless #crossword to my blog: realpuzzlingstuff.com/one-two-punch/

Hope it provides an enjoyable challenge! ✍🏾

56A: White filling for certain sandwiches (15 letters)
12D: "Been there" (8 letters)
One-Two Punch - Real Puzzling Stuff
32-Down: Iconic movie blooper?
realpuzzlingstuff.com
May 27, 2025 at 11:20 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Easy option from the ACLU to let your senator know you do not approve of the "big beautiful bill" threatening trans folks and millions of others reliant on Medicaid, which just passed narrowly in the House: action.aclu.org/send-message... Great time to become a monthly donor as well!
Congress: Save Medicaid Now
Politicians are attempting to pass devastating cuts to Medicaid right now and we must act fast. Send a message telling your member of Congress to fight back now.
action.aclu.org
May 22, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Reposted by Ryan Patrick Smith
acyn.bsky.social
Crockett: Right now, it seems like you don’t care about the constitution unless it’s the second amendment and that’s misinterpreted as well. There’s other amendments.. And we don’t get to just change it because our fearless leader says that he doesn’t like it
May 21, 2025 at 4:14 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Been checking out #ClairObscur — having a great time so far! 🌹 The integration of turn-based tactics and per-attack dodge/parry challenges is super satisfying. ⚔️ Not regretting setting the diff to Hard as yet 🎮
Gustave looks out on a waterfall among red trees in the near distance. Gustave stretches his arm out, clad in red and surrounded on all sides by vermilion foliage. Lune's in-game character sheet. She's Lvl. 11 here, with 11/11 Lumina points allocated. The victory screen after an encounter with a paunchy boss. The expedition earned 2700 XP.
May 7, 2025 at 8:29 PM
writerlyryan.bsky.social
Excited to be making my Browser debut with a #cryptic #crossword today! thebrowser.com/crossword

Was lovely connecting with editor (and speed solver extraordinaire) Dan Feyer at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament earlier this month 🙂

I'll def be on the lookout for streamed solves!
"The Browser Crossword: Cryptic #220 by Ryan Patrick Smith. April 27, 2025. Edited by Dan Feyer." The Browser's giraffe mascot noses in from the side.
April 27, 2025 at 4:15 PM