Homegrown cryptogram keeps Chieftain readers guessing

For more than a decade, readers of the El Defensor Chieftain have puzzled over a weekly brain teaser known as “Dave’s Stumper,” a cryptogram created by Socorro resident Dave Thomas. What began in September 2012 as a quirky addition to the local paper has grown into a tradition that challenges critical thinking and rewards persistence.

Unlike standard cryptograms, Dave’s Stumper hides a “secret word” within its solution. As solvers decode the quote, often drawn from the previous week’s newspaper, they also track letter substitutions on an alphabet row. When the puzzle is complete, those substitutions reveal a second message, a word or phrase with no repeated letters.

“Most cryptograms don’t have that extra twist,” Thomas said. “It’s a message within a message.”

Creating each Stumper takes about an hour. Thomas uses custom software and online tools to ensure the secret word fits the puzzle’s rules and theme.

“I’ll start with a word related to the topic, then build around it,” he explained. “It’s like solving an anagram while writing a code.”

The puzzle has a loyal following of about a dozen regular solvers who email their answers each week, though Thomas suspects many more play quietly.

“It’s a reason for people to pick up the paper and engage,” he said. “It supports local news and keeps people thinking.”

Thomas, who teaches critical thinking and science-versus-pseudoscience courses at New Mexico Tech, also contributes puzzles to Desert Exposure in Las Cruces. His work reflects the mission of New Mexicans for Science and Reason, a group he’s long been involved with: promoting skepticism and rational inquiry.

After 13 years, Thomas shows no signs of stopping.

“I’ll keep doing it as long as people enjoy it,” he said. “It’s fun, and it’s ours.”

For tips on solving Dave’s Stumper, visit nmsr.org/SocorroStumper.htm.