I’ve always enjoyed doing acrostics, primarily those in the New York Times Sunday Magazine. From 1999 to 2023, Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon were the regular contributors of this format to the Times. Since mid-2023, a new dynamic duo has been responsible: Jane Stewart and Dave Balton. At this year’s American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, Jane and Dave gave a presentation about their work and shared one of their creations – challenging! – with the audience. I enjoyed chatting with Jane afterword; since then, she’s graciously provided feedback on a couple of my own constructions.