Being put off by a crossword is quite common. For decades, Indians have been solving cryptic crosswords, which are usually tougher to get through. And as many newspapers in India usually reprint crosswords designed for papers in the West, and syndicated from the UK or the US, these chequered puzzles rarely have clues keeping the Indian context in mind. 

This is exactly what crossword constructor Mangesh Ghogre is trying to solve. A Mumbaikar, Ghogre moved to the US in 2023 after receiving the Einstein visa. He now constructs crosswords for The New York Times.