Val was inspired to create crosswords by a copy of the "Crossword Constructor's Handbook". He’s honed his craft and been published in the Puzzle Society Crossword. He’s always been a fan of espionage, especially in a historical sense. In particular, he is intrigued by information--not just the infrastructure, tools, and techniques needed to control it, but also the challenges and obstacles faced by spies in order to maintain a grasp on it.