Wendy Anne Law, known by her crossword pseudonyms Hectence and Zamorca, has died at the age of 65 following a battle with cancer. Law was widely respected for her accessible and fair clues, particularly in the Guardian’s quiptic crossword, a puzzle format designed to be approachable for beginners and solvers pressed for time.

Law’s quiptic puzzles were featured in the Guardian for nearly three decades, beginning in 1999 when she contributed to the newly launched weekly series. Over 27 years, she produced 217 puzzles under the name Hectence, becoming the most prolific setter of the quiptic and the only one to appear annually throughout the series’ run. In 2019, she also began contributing puzzles to the Financial Times under the name Zamorca, a nod to her lifelong fascination with guinea pigs. Law described the name as the Bosnian word for “guinea pig,” reflecting her devotion to the animals.

Born in Manchester on July 29, 1960, Wendy Law was the daughter of chemist Derek Sherwin and Pat Sherwin (née Smethurst). Her family later moved to Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. She studied English and Italian at Leeds University, graduating in 1982, where she met her future husband, Derek Law. The couple married the same year and had two daughters, Donna and Robyn.

Before turning to libraries and crosswords full-time, Law worked in education finance for South Cambridgeshire District Council beginning in 1994. Encouraged in her professional development, she trained as a librarian and began working at the Willingham village library in 1999. She eventually became district supervisor for the county’s libraries, balancing her career with her passion for puzzles, music, Manchester City football, and caring for over 30 guinea pigs.

Despite her expertise in crossword construction, Law remained modest about her work. She once remarked that the quiptic crossword’s relative simplicity was, paradoxically, a greater challenge because it required clarity and directness without the complex tricks typical of mainstream cryptics. Her puzzles drew in solvers who might otherwise have been intimidated by more traditional formats.

Law was also noted for her feminist outlook, having once challenged a bank’s insistence that she could not retain the title “Ms” on a joint account in her early married life. She was proud to be among a small minority of female crossword setters.

Her puzzles were crafted in a custom-built green garden shed, where she would enjoy bird-watching as a quiet companion to her work. Beyond her contributions to national newspapers, she also created puzzles for local publications such as the Willingham News.

Wendy Law stepped down from full-time work following her cancer diagnosis in 2019 but remained actively involved as a Friend of Willingham Library. She is survived by her husband Derek Law and their two daughters.