Construction has come to be very important for Ms. Baik, who began making crosswords during her first semester in college. Her chemistry lab partner, Arjun, was a strong, supportive force as she learned to make puzzles. “He was very encouraging, even though I wasn’t taking it super seriously at the beginning,” she said in an interview.

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Play 'Alter Ego,' the Billboard daily crossword for Wednesday (Jan. 14, 2026).