The 2021 Super73 S2 electric bike retails new for over $3,000.

Wistful for Wilk

I want to say thank you to David Levinson Wilk, whose final crossword appeared in an early January edition of the Reader (Crossword, January 4, 2024). For years, Wilk’s puzzles were much more fun than the average crossword I’d find in syndicated daily newspapers. The clever themes for each one were amusing and gave an extra key to unlock the trickier words. I always found Wilk’s puzzles calibrated at just the level to make them challenging but not unfinishable.

I didn’t know Wilk by name until the Reader announced they were printing his final puzzle; I’d taken for granted that the enjoyable crosswords would always be there. I’m very sorry to say that the replacement crosswords, which seem to be from a syndicated service, are flat and almost seem as though they’re made from a crossword-generating computer program.

Thanks again, Mr. Wilk, for the many hours of interactive and diverting wordplay.

Zachary Woodruff

Point Loma

Right-wing Reader?

In the piece (“Pee Wee Redux”, Neighborhood News, January 18) the founder of BikeIndex.org claims that Offer Up and FB Marketplace contain a “massive sea of stolen goods” and “junkies, thieves, and addicts.... (are) fencing stolen goods right and left” on these sites.

I am a bike guy who buys and sells on these sites. I look for good deals, the kind one might expect someone trying to sell a stolen bike would offer. I’ve checked out over 150 bikes in the past 3 years and maybe 1 or 2 seemed suspicious. Hardly a massive sea of stolen bikes.

If so many stolen bikes were listed on these sites, wouldn’t the recovery rate be much higher than the 19/331 (5.7%) reported in the article? Yah, I thought so.

I’m not sure if the guy quoted is woefully misinformed or if he has an agenda, but in any case he’s way off base. There’s enough fear mongering in the media without this garbage. The Reader has veered into the right wing conspiracy BS since the ownership change and lemme tell you, it blows.

Anthony H

San Diego

The Reader has not undergone an ownership change.