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Day five of "Gotta JET" (Jeff's expressions of thanks)! I've had the honor of working with dozens of new constructors, and it's been a pleasure collaborating with Robert. I'm always impressed at his tenacity, never giving up in the face of the ridiculously-low NYT acceptance rate (around 3-4% these days). "Grit" is by far the quality that's most correlated with success. After years of grinding away at it, one of our early products finally made it into the Wall Street Journal last year.

I'm also appreciative of being proven wrong over and over again. One of my most common pieces of advice has been for newer constructors to focus on the types of crosswords facing greatest demand and lowest supply.

The one area I advise: stay away from is themelesses. Everybody defaults to themelesses, because it's so hard to arrive at a fresh, smart theme. With a strong word list, you can punch out a passable 72-word themeless in minutes. With some guidance, an NYT-quality one might only be a matter of days away. The acceptance rate for themelesses is so much lower than the overall average, and only two or three outlets take them, so why even waste your time?

It's great that Robert followed his heart, because I'm proven wrong yet again. The doses of humility keep me grounded, and that's a wonderful thing. I frequently tell people, "what the hell do I know" and "just one idiot's opinion" — perhaps one day everyone will realize that I'm not just joking around.

I've so greatly enjoyed working with so many people over the years — not as a mentor, but more as an equal partner in collaboration. I'm thankful to people like Robert who give me these opportunities.

– puzzle by Robert Logan

Day six of "Gotta JET" (Jeff's expressions of thanks)! I love it when a constructor features a zingy phrase, and it's especially notable when it's related to that person. Rebecca is most definitely a scientist, so I'M NOT A SCIENTIST (but …) gave me a kick.

It also gave me the perfect opportunity to say dammit, Jim Horne, I'm not a blogger! Oh, wait. Maybe I am. Huge thanks to Jim, who's pushed me to develop my voice over the past decade. I've been a writer for 15 years now, and I credit Jim for his gentle but firm nudges to step outside my comfort zone.

More importantly, I appreciate his friendship over the years, especially important throughout those dark pandemic years. Our weekly calls to discuss the latest batch of puzzles was such a highlight, an event I could depend upon for regular connection, insight, and laughs.

Never mind that it was always Jim bursting into cackles at my idiocy!

Now in my 50s, making new friends is rarer than ever. This XWord Info journey has been full of ups and some big downs, but it's all been worth it, largely because it's allowed me to take part in a grand partnership journey with a great guy.

– puzzle by Rebecca Goldstein

Day seven of "Gotta JET" (Jeff's expressions of thanks)! There are so many amazing clues in the puzzle today, and that reminds me to give thanks to constructors who dedicate the necessary time to spicing up their solve, especially for the bigger Sunday canvas. It's challenging to keep someone's attention in this age of social media snippets, so amazing clues like [Match making?] sparks a FIRE to keep going.

The NYT editing team deserves a lot of credit as well. They're not only the ones who select what puzzles to run, but they spend a ton of time crafting and honing. I've had the pleasure of getting an inside look at how Will Shortz operates, and he spends so much energy poring over clues, writing new ones, elevating the quality of the solving experience.

Before I sign off, one more note: Finally and most importantly, I appreciate everyone who's read my commentaries over the years. Being able to express my thoughts and opinions has been a tremendous creative outlet for me, and hearing from and interacting with so many people has been a privilege. Thank you to everyone out there, from the bottom of my heart.

Although you won't hear from me regularly through this forum anymore, please do stay in touch. Best way to do that is to sign up for my distribution list (form below) or checking out Jeff Chen Writes, but you can also feel free to contact me directly at jeffchen1972 at gmail dot com. Whether that's exchanging thoughts on a potential crossword theme, sharing feedback about a particular puzzle, or simply trying to help each other keep afloat as we muddle our way through life, I look forward to supporting each other as we build further connections and community.

– puzzle by Dylan Schiff