Today’s prompt suggested making a puzzle. Given that my theme is “words,” a crossword puzzle seemed in order.

Teachers no doubt know of several websites that generate custom puzzles, quick and easy. Simply choose your puzzle type (crossword, word search, cryptogram, etc.), enter your list of words and clues, and click the button for instant results. I like Discovery Education’s Puzzle Maker.

If you know me well enough, try completing this crossword, which features names from the nearest branches of my family tree. Hannah, age 10, only needed help with the names of her grandfather and great grandmother (the only characters she has not met, from this particular cast).

If you must cheat, you’ll find a link to the solution below.

Across
1. the bunch that we are
3. my husband
4. my married name (this time)
6. my sister’s middle child
8. me
9. my oldest daughter
12. my youngest step-son
13. my niece who gets her red hair the way I do
14. my kids’ last name
17. my brother
18. my oldest nephew
19. a name I call myself
21. my niece born with red hair

Down
2. my oldest stepson
3. my mama
4. my youngest nephew
5. my daddy
7. my husband’s middle child
10. my living sister
11. my second mother-in-law
12. my maiden name
15. my firstborn
16. my Grandma Hatfield
20. father of my children
21. my youngest

Click here for solution.