How to Contribute

2025 Theme: Intersectionality

We've found comraderie in our shared queerness and love of puzzles, yet each of us brings a unique life experience and set of attributes, skills, background, and personality to the table. The theme for the 2025 Puzzler Pride pack will be Intersectionality. The interpretation of that theme is up to each individual contributor; it may involve incorporating flavor about your intersectional experiences, finding the intersection of two or more different puzzle types, or puzzles where elements routinely intersect as part of the solve. Use of the theme is optional and is not mandatory for inclusion in the puzzle pack, but feel free to use it to inspire or motivate as desired.

Onboarding

Please reach out to Dave (davmillar on Discord) or Jamie (jamiehargrove on Discord) to on-board with us as a contributor.

We know that setting puzzles can be challenging for some and life can be wild and messy, so feel free to adjust your committment level, change your entry, or ask for help if needed. We're also always looking for test-solvers, people who want to share and promote the project, and streamers that stream their puzzle solving.

Quick Info

About/FAQ

What kinda puzzles can I submit?

Any kind you like! Ideally these would be 'pencil puzzles' that could be solved on paper, but we can also include links to Penpa, F-Puzzle, Puzz.Link, etc. as well as offer PUZ, IPUZ, JPZ, or similar formats.

Where is this being released?

Here at the Puzzler Pride website, but all are welcome to share their own creations or the whole packet to blogs and social media.

I'm LGBTQ+ but can't write puzzles. How can I help?

We're happy to have you join as a test-solver! Sign up and just make that the 'status' on your row of the spreadsheet. If you're interested in setting a puzzle for the first time, reach out to one of the organizers and we can get you headed in the right direction!

I'm an ally, how can I help?

Please share the puzzle pack with friends and loved ones! Also offer to test-solve for anyone in the sheet who's making something you might enjoy. Most of all, help continue the fight for equal rights and dispel disinformation from nay-sayers. We're a creative, thoughtful, and diverse bunch, and we love when you help support our goals and affirm our right to exist.

When are puzzles due?

Ideally, we'd like to have initial drafts for substantial word and hunt-style puzzles by March 2, 2025, and logic and all other puzzle types by April 27, 2025. We really want to lock in final drafts by May 11, 2025. Submissions and edits after those dates may still be accepted at organizer discretion, but adequate testing and time for the PDF layout is important for a June 1 launch date!

Any other constraints?

Ideally your puzzle should be no larger than 21x30 (21 grid cells wide and 30 grid cells tall) to fit the layout of the PDF. 9x9 grids are a popular choice, and definitely stay smaller than the maximum size if you're making an uncommon or original puzzle type that would benefit from instructional diagrams. See the archives for examples of what to expect.

Can my puzzle feature a rainbow?

Yes, although if color is not central to the content of the puzzle, it might be adjusted for print/viewing in a way to make it accessible to those with color-blindness.

Can I call 'dibs' on a specific puzzle genre?

It's fine to announce what you intend to construct, but no special precautions will be taken to axe duplicate genres. If you don't want to duplicate a genre, please use the search function to check the sheet for the active event for the type you have in mind.

Wow, is (name) really LGBTQ+?

Everyone who signs up is assumed to have done so voluntarily and with the understanding that this labels their given name/nom de plume as identifying LGBTQIA+ — we are not looking to out anyone unwillingly. No efforts will be taken to police or verify this info. That said, if you're not LGBTQIA+ and you just want attention, please don't lie to sign up for this. There are other puzzle authoring showcases/events throughout the year where we'll be happy to have you and show off what you can do.

Can I submit more than one puzzle?

Yes! Please make a new grid entry for each additional puzzle to help with logistics. If things get unwieldy, the organizers reserve the right to limit number of entries or ask you to save extras for next time.

As an ally, can I co-author with a puzzler that is LGBTQ+?

This is generally okay as long as it's primarily an amicable collaboration and focused on them and not a backdoor into the showcase.

How does copyright with this work?

All authors retain copyright of their contributions. By submitting a puzzle, you grant the organizers and participants the non-exclusive right to reproduce your puzzle in the PDF packet and relevant links or formats, and to distribute the packet freely on blogs, social media, forums, etc.