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DesignMaking the Shortz list Dept.

The New York Times Crossword

My debut puzzle for The Gray Lady.

The New York Times crossword, first published in 1942, is the gold standard of American puzzles, attempted by an estimated 500,000 solvers daily. Will Shortz, editor since 1993, selects submissions that pour in (about 100 each day) from amateur and professional puzzle-makers alike. It is a resolutely anachronistic process that involves snail mail, waiting months on a decision, and an additional year for publication.

After nine rejections, my first published crossword appeared on Wed, 11 April 2018. Read reviews by Deb Amlen at the NYT Wordplay blog, Jeff Chen and Rex Parker [warning: spoilers at all links].

Play puzzle

DesignCard choices Dept.

Little Black Deck

Inventing and designing adult playing cards.

: Market research.

: Prototype designs.

: The final designs for the backs of the decks.

: Some of the cards.

: The finished product.

DesignStock symbols Dept.

macOS Folders

Custom iconset.

: The Finder sidebar in macOS, showing built-in icons for special folders and devices.

: Consistent line weight and aspect ratio.

: More icons.

: An example of the icons in use.

: An example of the icons in use.

How to change folder icons in macOS

Download iconset

DesignRoom and board Dept.

Jumbo Scrabble

Designing and crafting a wall-mounted Scrabble set.

: Cutting the tiles.

: Printing the board.

: Tracing the letters.

: Penciling the letters.

: Outlining the letters

: Folding the board squares, all 255 of them.

: Ready to be mounted.

: Mounted.

: The happy wife.

DesignNew Jersey Dept.

San Francisco Fireballs

Redesigning the kit for my softball team.

: Research: 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers with Jackie Robinson.

: The previous Fireballs team kit.

: The caps, highlighting the new ‘F’ insignia.

: The new jersey in action.

: The team in their new kit.

DesignMoney talks Dept.

Caribbean Policy Research Institute

Visual rebranding (print, digital, on-site) for the Caribbean's largest think tank.

: Their previous logo.

: Market research. Logos of some American/European think tanks.

: One-color lockup with full name.

: Logo in use during a public forum, 2017.

: Logo in use during a visit to Jamaica by IMF head Christine Lagarde, 2017.

Design

Taboo

Set design for my Jamaican comedy of manners.

: Concept sketch.

: Blueprint, using primary colors and basic shapes to create the feel of a playground.

: Lego model.

: Set under construction.

: The completed set with the cast in performance. The set highlights the immaturity of the adult characters.

DesignFresh look Dept.

Old Harbour Optical

Identity design for a local eyewear store.

: Early exploration. In the intended market of Jamaica, Iris has connotations of warmth, comfort, rootedness.

: Client provided the location-specific name ‘Old Harbour Optical’ but indicated they may open other locations. Identity was designed to retain brand equity even if name and location changed.

: Business cards.

: Mock ad, part of the brand book delivered to client.

: Holiday flyer.

DesignInner radiance Dept.

Christmas Gifts

Designing and crafting light-up holiday presents.

: Initial sketches.

: Proof of concept: Testing the basic circuitry.

: Blueprint for circuit housing.

: A complete circuit in its housing. Aluminum foil backing to reduce fire hazard and add reflectivity.

: Affixing electric component to gift box.

: A gift box (originally a cereal box) fitted with light-up component.

: Names were reversed and punched from card stock.

: A gift box with name applied.

: Two gift boxes nearing completion.

: Finished gifts under the tree, completely anonymous until the hidden switch is flipped.

Design

Mr & Mrs Blacke

Co-designing the set for my contemporary marital drama.

: Researching the look of contemporary American stage dramas.

: Concept sketches by Patrick Williams, who co-designed the set.

: A partial Lego model of the set.

: Rehearsal, with the beginnings of set construction.

: A live performance with the completed set. Bars and grids create a sense of imprisonment, while sharp right angles aimed at the audience create a harsh, unforgiving space.