**Update: These puzzles are no longer available, but please consider donating anyway!
Hi! It's been a while. Look — there's a lot to talk about, and plenty of puzzle things from the last eight months that I haven't yet shared here, but I'm just going to cut to the chase. Donate at least $10 to the charity/fund/relief organization of your choice that supports Afghan women and girls (either residents of Afghanistan, refugees, or both), email a screenshot/forward of your donation receipt to sidsgrids@gmail.com, and I will send you four themeless crosswords. The puzzles range in difficulty from hard to very hard, and they are all ultra-low-word-count grids (60 words or fewer, and one 65-word 16×15 grid) that deserve a home. A home in your inbox! After you donate and email me your receipt.
Afghan women and girls are currently in extreme danger, both in Afghanistan and abroad as they seek refugee and asylum status in other countries. There are many organizations supporting Afghans more broadly, and I wholeheartedly encourage you to contribute whatever you can (by donating and by volunteering) to any relief/aid organization providing general support. But to receive the four puzzles in this set, you will need to donate specifically in support of Afghan women. Suggested organizations and funds include:
Women's Regional Network (specifically, this GoFundMe campaign)
Vital Voices Emergency Fund for Afghan Women (helping women evacuate and resettle)
Afghan Women's Organization (helping to settle Afghan refugees in Canada)
Sahar (supporting education for Afghan girls)
Malala Fund (supporting education for Afghan girls)
International Women's Media Foundation (supporting women journalists in Afghanistan)
or any other organization/fund supporting Afghan women and girls directly.
Please give generously, spread the word, and enjoy the puzzles.
Thanks, and much love,
- Sid