Word▶️ #1: On First
Kicking off our pop culture puzzle parade.
On First is, naturally, the first puzzle in our 12-puzzle pop culture puzzle suite Word▶️. We'll be releasing one puzzle a month for a year to paid subscribers, then releasing the whole thing as a collection — you can find out more here. If you're new to The Rackenfracker, welcome: We've got a number of free variety cryptics that will help you get the lay of our land, and if you sign up as a free member, you'll get our next puzzle sent to you — we've got a free puzzle coming out prior to Word▶️ #2, which is being released October 25.
Thanks to Andy, John and joeadultman for the test solves on this puzzle. Our editor for all of the Word▶️ puzzles is Bill MacDonald, publisher/editor of the late, great Cryptics Monthly, about whom more soon. The puzzle can be solved in-browser, via the Puzzazz app, and, as always, on paper.
[Update Jan. 25: We have put On First into the vault, to be released again next autumn in the Word▶️ collection. Subscribers can find a link to the puzzle in the emails we sent on Dec. 25 and Jan. 18.]