From Puzzle To Proposal: Pune Man's Romantic Gesture Makes Headlines

A man from Pune crafted a heartfelt proposal for his girlfriend, who adores solving puzzles in The Indian Express newspaper, turning their everyday ritual into a memorable moment. Anant Goenka, the newspaper's executive director, shared this touching story on LinkedIn. He described how a 31-year-old Pune resident, who chose to remain anonymous, orchestrated a surprise marriage proposal using the newspaper's crossword puzzles.

According to Goenka's account, the girlfriend, an avid puzzle enthusiast and historian, starts her day by solving the Indian Express crossword with her morning tea. The boyfriend wanted the proposal to be intimate and part of their daily routine, rather than a public spectacle. Having often solved the crossword together, he decided it would be the perfect way to surprise her.

From Puzzle to Proposal: Pune Man's Romantic Gesture Makes Headlines

The man emailed the puzzles team, requesting help to incorporate "marry me" into the mini crossword puzzle. The puzzle editor gladly assisted. "I came up with the idea while we were doing the crossword over WhatsApp," the boyfriend shared. "After getting the ring made from sea glass we collected on a trip to Spain, a friend put me in touch with the puzzle editor. After some secretive planning, everything was set by the evening of July 3," he revealed.

The next morning, the newspaper hadn’t arrived yet, and his girlfriend was upset about the missing crossword with her tea. "I laughed and suggested, ‘Why don’t we try the IE Mini?’" And there it was—a puzzle waiting to be solved!

However, it didn’t immediately click for her. Some clues were tricky, and she was taking her time while he nervously awaited the right moment. Finally, when she reached 7-Across, cleverly clued as ‘Words with a nice ring to them?’, the answer didn’t dawn on her immediately. After a few more minutes, with more letters filled in, she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, marry me!"

Seizing the moment, the boyfriend went down on one knee, revealing the ring made from sea glass collected during their trip. "Of course, she said yes! We couldn’t stop giggling and finished the crossword in 12 minutes and 57 seconds," he shared excitedly.

Goenka was so moved by the story that he announced in his viral LinkedIn post, "Every wedding guest will now receive an Indian Express subscription from the couple."

This heartwarming tale showcases how a simple morning ritual turned into a memorable proposal, blending love, creativity, and a shared passion for puzzles. It reminds us that sometimes the most meaningful gestures come from integrating personal moments into life's everyday routines.