Following a career as a lawyer, Dick discovered that working the Sunday N.Y. Times crossword puzzle helped to keep the cobwebs from gaining a secure foothold in his brain and it annoyed his wife less than his screaming at the television as his beloved Dallas Cowboys lost again and again and again. Thinking to herself how quiet it would be if he were at his computer in another room entirely, his wife suggested he attempt to create a puzzle as well as just solve one. His first effort, a co-collaboration, was published in the NYT on 02/02/2014 when Dick was a mere septuagenarian. Between then and the present Dick became an octogenarian and has had numerous puzzles published – and even more puzzles rejected – by most of the major print publications. Mark started making crossword puzzles in retirement and was soon published in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, and Simon & Schuster's Mega Crossword Puzzle Book series. Mark read all of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels when he was in high school (and Ian Fleming was still alive). His love of those novels sometimes shows in his puzzles - keep a keen eye out for clues!