A Harvard Magazine Tradition Ends

John de Cuevas ’52 will no longer contribute crossword puzzles to Harvard Magazine.

John de Cuevas ’52, who has for decades contributed original crossword puzzles to Harvard Magazine’s print and online editions, has announced that he will no longer produce new puzzles for the series. In an email, he wrote: 

Several readers have asked me why my puzzles no longer appear on the Harvard Magazine website. I answer, because I’m no longer up to speed. I turned 86 last October and in the last few years have experienced a slackening of mental and physical powers. I’m still putting puzzles on my website, www.puzzlecrypt.com, one every month, twelve a year, but the extra ones I was doing for Harvard are more than I can manage now. I’m sorry about that, but it’s out of my reach.

Thanks to all who asked about the puzzles and to the editors of Harvard Magazine for providing me an outlet for them these many years.

The magazine thanks de Cuevas for his many years of service and creativity. Below, find a puzzle he created for the magazine’s September-October 1986 issue, in celebration of Harvard’s 350th anniversary. 


Click image to enlarge. 
Courtesy of Harvard Magazine

You might also like

Harvard Magazine March-April 2024 Scavenger Hunt

March-April 2024 Print Issue Scavenger Hunt

Unraveling the Universe through Puzzles

In his freshman seminar, Cumrun Vafa uses puzzles to help students understand complex physics.

Remaking the Grid

Paolo Pasco and the art of making crosswords

Most popular

The New Gender Gaps

What to do as men and boys fall behind

Danielle Allen Debates Far-Right Blogger Curtis Yarvin

Popular monarchist debates Allen on democracy.

Harvard President Responds to Secretary of Education

Alan Garber outlines steps the University has taken, and emphasizes compliance with the law.

Explore More From Current Issue

Brief Harvard News Spring 2025

Physician-authors address Commencement and Alumni Day, new School of Education Dean, and more

Springtime with Mass Audubon

Springtime with Mass Audubon

Jessica Shand—Math and Music at Harvard

Jessica Shand blends math and music.