xwordswithbabka

Hello! This is my first blog puzzle of 2025. Like most of my puzzles, it was inspired by overhearing a song. I don't really love counterfactuals, but I am interested in the ways we make choices and the impacts they have throughout time. My mom has a post-it she keeps with a quote from the author Ted Chiang that says, "The things we are told are inevitable are in fact contingent. And the things that we are told are impossible are in fact achievable." That doesn't have anything to do with this puzzle, I guess, I'm just thinking about my mom. Anyway - please try to enjoy the puzzle. Because it's about something that I think only I will find interesting, I didn't test solve it. I'd also like to pre-emptively apologize to my friend Bob , I'm very sorry!! [ .puz ] [ Direct Crosshare link ]