This week, Ryan and Brian arbitrarily launch Season 7 of "Fill Me In" with a visit from Ben "The Barnacle" Zimmer. Topics include vowel omissions, puzzle pain, and a potential new arc for the show. There's a new contest crossword at https://bit.ly/fmi311con, and we expect to be streaming again on Saturday (4 PT/7 ET) at https://twitch.tv/nextdoorcomics.

Stuff to click:

• "Want to Join My Crossword Group Chat?" (New York Times, 8/31/21)
• Just Gridding! (the blog you should visit a, because it's awesome, and b, because if you donate to a Texas abortion fund, you could get some wonderful puzzles)

If you get bored, write something for the Fill Me In wiki.

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