The Rackenfaction: Andy Stilp, solveur suprême

Meet our most fearless test solver.

With each puzzle, we highlight the individuals that make each puzzle possible. Some of that personnel changes from puzzles to puzzle … and some of it doesn’t.

Only Andy Stilp has test-solved 100 percent of Rackenfracker puzzles past, present and future. Avocationally, he’s an erstwhile film critic and an ersatz contributor to UK media tentpoles such as BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Five Live, Scala Radio, Greatest Hits Radio, and The Guardian, despite living in Wisconsin near Rackenfracker HQ.

Of our cohort, Andy is the one who most prefers one four-hour puzzle to eight 30-minute ones, dipping his quill for a scorcher from The Enigma, The Listener, or Ucaoimhu. He’s always a great audience for determining whether our gimmicks are going far enough or too far; by the same token, as our frequent first solver, he also sees a lot of unexpurgated rackenfracking — so much that he had a commemorative portrait commissioned:

It’s always a delight to send a puzzle his way, to be met with his enthusiasm and thoughtful commentary. Cheers, Andy, with our sincere thanks.

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