are there any helpful programs or sites you guys use to make these puzzles?
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I used Inkscape, a crossword solver like https://www.quinapalus.com/qat.html, and https://www.palindromelist.net. I set the grids myself in graph paper, and typed them into a monospace text object in Inkscape. If you use Inkscape and don't want a monospace font I think you can do it using Split Text and Alignment tools.