Interesting gig

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Ms. Mason manages the department’s five staff members who edit The Times’s suite of digital pastimes, which also includes Sudoku; the Mini crossword; Vertex, where you connect dots to form a hidden picture; and Letter Boxed, where you form words around a square.

As part of her role, Ms. Mason is working to maintain the team’s editorial standards, find new ways to engage with and broaden the puzzle audience, and ensure that every part of the games editing process — from the constructors (the people who make the puzzles) to the clues provided — reflects and cultivates diverse voices.

One part of her day might involve collaborating with Deb Amlen, the crossword columnist, on the Wordplay column. Another might be focused on streamlining the submission process for the crossword — constructors submit about 200 per week for consideration.

Ms. Mason’s staff is part of a group of about 50 people that includes designers, developers and product managers, all led by Jonathan Knight, the general manager of the Games department. Together, they are focused on giving readers more diversions in these anxious times.

www.nytimes.com/2021/05/05/insider/puzzles-director-mason.amp.html