It’s time to follow up on some pleasing developments in the world of crosswording.

Practice does not (alone) make perfect

Back in May, we looked at a paper investigating what it takes to make a super-solver. That post linked to the relevant research, in the open-access journal Frontiers.

Now, if you still haven’t got round to reading that article: (a) what on earth have you been doing? and (b) you’re in luck: the authors have summarised their findings in less formal register at the Conversation. Think of it like a dress-down Friday in the psychology lab. The new piece contains two splendid clues, this one ...

Speciality of the Cornish side that’s perfect with new wingers (5,4)

... from a recent Times crossword championship and this one ...

Active women iron some skirts and shirts (9)

... quoted from another excellent read, Arthur Schulman’s The Art of the Puzzler. Answers here.

Who pays the pipers?

Last year, we paid tribute to Merl Reagle, a pioneer of a strain of American crosswording that’s playful, slangy and allusive. Reagle was an inspiration to what’s known in the US as the “indie crossword” scene, where a couple of recent changes are worth noting – especially as, since the end of the print Independent, they offer clues as to possible futures for crosswording in general.

First, the American Values Club crossword (here are some sample puzzles) – formerly associated with the satirical magazine the Onion but more recently independent – is extending its reach by appearing at Slate magazine, starting with a special puzzle available here. And in terms of publisher-support, it’s one in, one out. BuzzFeed has stopped publishing crosswords; its “ginormous themeless” valedictory puzzle is here, and its setter, Caleb Madison, has now launched the intriguingly named Solve the Internet, which I have signed up for with no sense of what might happen next.

Much like with the future of the crossword.

Because they can

Finally, and also in America, if you enjoyed the audacious referendum puzzle assembled by Boatman and crew, the New York Times recently published something in a similar spirit. If you don’t have a subscription that gives you access to Ben Tausig’s soul-warming puzzle, you can at least read all about it. Major kludos.