Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Viresh Ratnakar

@viresh.bsky.social

200 followers 350 following 260 posts

Cryptic crossword setter "Gussalufz" (The Hindu, The Browser, 1 Across, Object, IXL): https://gussalufz.com. Open source crossword web apps: https://exolve.app, https://exet.app. Engineer at (A) Large (Company). Intergalactic Interconnectedness Medium.

gussalufz.com.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 10h

This one has a meta at the end. Here's my preamble/hint for that (wasn't used when published):

The eight-letter final answer is also described early on in any meaningful reference.

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 10h

"Leo's Pet"

My Browser #Cryptic #crossword from April 2025 (#218, ed. Dan Feyer) is now freely available on my site (with kind permission from The Browser).

Sample clue:

27a. Found shit's able to hit the fan (9)

gussalufz.com/browser/2025...

gussalufz.com

1 2

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 5d

7.0 mpl. Not-So-Fleet Week #running pace-wise for me, but I still deserve my #beer. Cheers!

1 6

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 10d

"20 + 27"

By #Gussalufz

11a. Shot a husband for smoking pipe (6)

15a. Abruptly cancel periods (4)

Another older #cryptic #crossword ("quantum-themed"!) is now freely available on my site:

gussalufz.com/thc/2025/gus...

THC #14,452: 20 + 27

gussalufz.com

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 10d

New in Exet, my free web-app for #crossword construction:

- "Auto-Free!": Handy shortcut to save backup + free up space by deleting some old versions.

- 50K words now allowed in "preferred fills" (with "min-popularity" 100, can force _only_ this list).

exet.app

Exet: Create a crossword

exet.app

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 11d

FYI, 20d was flawed :-(.

For posterity, it will be revised to this:

"Yes," Republican admitted, "American left is weird" (7)

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 11d

crossword.thehindu.com/crossword/hi...

The link is for subscribers only, but let me know if you're interested in a copy.

The Hindu daily Cryptic crossword puzzle

The Hindu Cryptic Crossword: Play our daily online cryptic Crossword.

crossword.thehindu.com

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 11d

"It Opened With Open Government"

13d. Old Indian ways of batting (drives, etc.) limiting India (5,5)

17d. He ain't gonna field regularly with finger injury (8)

Two #crypticclue samples from my The Hindu #Cryptic #crossword #14,607 appearing in Tuesday's paper.

#Gussalufz

Pic of crossword grid, with some clues visible

1 1

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 11d

It was fun! I marked an unusually high number of clues as favourites :-)

Reposted by Viresh Ratnakar

Lowdown Cryptic @lowdowncryptic.bsky.social · 11d

Clue from my #cryptic in The Browser this week:

Discover messing around isn't a race (9) 😏

"Discover messing around isn't a race (9)" - cryptic clue from The Browser Cryptic #241 by Larry Kline (October 5, 2025), edited by Dan Feyer

2 2 6

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 12d

8.4 mpl. #Running along my frequent "t" and now #beer under my frequent tree.

1 4

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 19d

8.0 mpl. Some hilly #running, now #beer. Cheers!

1 3

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · 26d

8.5 mpl. #Running with Shakti in the ear, now #beer. Cheers!

1 6

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 16

New Exet (free #crossword construction web app) features:

- Make "New" a menu entry separate from "Open"

- Decouple list of preferred words from puzzle state (saves tones of space). This now allows using much bigger lists of preferred words.

- Allow saving blank/filled grid SVG images

exet.app

Exet: Create a crossword

exet.app

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 15

8.1 mpl. #Running, #beer, all same-same but still fun. Cheers!

1 5

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 13

You can click on a dark square or on the puzzle title first to un-highlight the current clue (you probably don't want that highlighted in the image).

The generated .svg file can be easily converted to PNG if needed (there are online converters readily available).

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 13

Every now and then, when I set a puzzle, the publisher asks for blank and filled grid images. It's hard to capture these precisely using screenshots. Chrome developer tools do offer a "DOM node screenshot" feature, but it's buggy and often introduces an offset.

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 13

I've added a "Save grid image as SVG" feature to Exolve (exolve.app). You can access it from the "Print" menu under the #crossword grid (reload your puzzle page to get the new feature).

Exolve Player

You can specify the crossword to be opened by choosing a file to open, or by dragging-and-dropping it onto the player. You can also paste plain-text-formatted crosswords into the "Enter crossword text" area.

exolve.app

2 2 4

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 8

"Buddha" returns to his tree. 8.7 mpl. #Running, #beer, cheers!

1 6

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 6

Ended up re-watching Sholay again after so many years. Slick, fun! But why didn't they just shoot Gabbar in the legs and *then* detonate, after Mehbooba x 2?

The theme music is sooo good. U2 probably borrowed the chords sequence :-).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgx6...

SHOLAY FULL MOVIE (4K) | Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra | 50 Years of Sholay | Biggest Blockbuster

YouTube video by NH BOLLY FLIX

www.youtube.com

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 2

"How To Get, _How?_"

By #Gussalufz

4d. Appreciation plummets after husband's input (6)

21d. Beg air travellers: "Bags on the counter, this is an inspection" (6)

Another older #cryptic #crossword is now freely available on my site:

gussalufz.com/thc/2025/gus...

THC #14,424: How To Get, How?

gussalufz.com

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 1

Someone has a critique that "crown" as used here is probably more suited in a down clue. I think I disagree (the thing with the crown can be horizontal too, imo), but can see that perspective too.

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 1

19a. Tipping crown to one side, emperor makes love (4)

One more #cryptic #clue from this #crossword. Posting because it's my top fave in the grid, but most setters I've heard from were stumped, unfortunately. Hoping some more folks find it fun... :-)

1 1 1

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 1

7.5 mpl. #Running through hot hills, and now that welcome #beer. Cheers!

1 4

Viresh Ratnakar @viresh.bsky.social · Sep 1

That parachute story was something! Great episode.