One of the sections I regularly edit for the Canadian and European editions of Reader’s Digest are the brainteasers. I work with rigorous and imaginative puzzle creators who quite honestly do the most of the heavy lifting. My own role consists of:

• Commissioning and curating a fun variety of puzzle types for each issue.

• Testing the puzzles to make certain they work. I don’t do this alone; I’ve got brilliant help from designated testers. They and I are also on the lookout for extra solutions, since an elegant puzzle has only one. Often, we can’t be 100 per cent certain there isn’t another possibility hiding somewhere—and clever readers are happy to point them out when we miss them—but we search diligently.

• Ensuring that the instructions are concise (because space is limited!) and crystal-clear. They must also not allow for any possible interpretations beyond the intended one. This is a demanding linguistic challenge, although if I pull it off well, readers should be able to take it for granted.

If you’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and are interested in selling original puzzles to Reader’s Digest, feel free to get in touch!

Photo on main page by Matthew Henry from Burst.