Get a head start and solve the first puzzle from my new book, Stalking the Puzzle Lady. New York Times constructor Murderin' Manny Nosowsky created the killer's puzzles.

As readers of the series know, Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady, does not create her own crossword puzzles. Her niece, Sherry Carter does. So when I began to put this website together, I naturally asked Sherry if she would contribute a puzzle. Unfortunately, she could not. As Sherry explained to me, she and her aunt are both fictitious, and couldn't contribute a thing. She suggested that I ask a real person.

Somwhat chastened, I saw her point. I contacted Trip Payne, whom I had met at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, and whose puzzles I had often done in the Sunday New York Times. Since Trip is a real person, he has no trouble creating puzzles, and we quickly struck a deal. So I am delighted to introduce Trip Payne, and present the first of his puzzles based on the Puzzle Lady series.

Trip Payne is a freelance puzzlemaker living in Atlanta. His crosswords have appeared in such publications as The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and dozens of others. He is the author of 365 Mind-Bending Cryptograms, Mighty Mini Crosswords, and Crosswords for Kids, as well as the co-author of The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Word Puzzles. In addition, he is a two-time champion of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament and was the first $32,000 winner on the U.S. version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. To date, his greatest accomplishment is being featured on page 22 of Parnell Hall's mystery novel Puzzled to Death. Photo credit: Dan Wenke at Bern-Art Studios

Life imitates art. Or vice versa. Or all things come full cycle. Or whatever. The reference in Trip's bio indicates Trip Payne, a real person, becomes a fictional character this November with the publication of PUZZLED TO DEATH, the third Puzzle Lady novel.