Advice on learning to construct crosswords

[Al Sisti]

I don't think I'm a good test solver, because I don't really know what kind of feedback to give. But I'd love to solve your puzzle if you wouldn't expect much useful in response. I'd prefer the .puz version.

In my puzzle creation adventures, I was playing with filling the grid, and amazed at how much putting in one entry constrains so much around it. Then I got distracted with other stuff and haven't been back to it in a few weeks. I intend to though, just no idea when.

Thanks, BarbaraK - I will send it to you. As for creating the grid, I ran into the same issue with word constraints at first. Using the site that benchen mentions above helped a lot in making reducing constraints and allowing Crosshare to suggest more entries.

I missed your request for test solvers. I would be interested, too!

And if you need or would like more, I'm happy to test too...

[ricky]

Once I decided to get serious, I tried both and found CrossFire much more user-friendly. I also joined Cruciverb ($40/year), which has an excellent and easily searchable database for looking up past puzzles and theme entries. It also has a helpful page on constructing tips (you do not need to be member to access the tips). Finally, I ponied up about $200 for Jeff Chen's word list. The Patrick Berry Book is also invaluable.

would this be the 'for Dummies' book? If so, I just ordered a copy from Amazon.

Yes, I think so: https://www.amazon.com/Crossword-Puzzle ... 0764556223

It's officially out of print, but you can still get it on Amazon as above and directly from Patrick on his website: https://aframegames.com/store/?download=21

I recommend this above all other construction resources. If I'd bought it earlier, it would have saved me months of trial and error.

One thing I recommend in retrospect: start with the simplest of simple themes and don't worry about originality. Focus on constructing a grid full of entries solvers will know with straightforward clues. My early constructing days were full of sort-of-clever theme ideas I couldn't construct decent grids around.

[benchen71]

The website I mentioned, Crossword Grid Search, has disappeared! This was such a useful tool. I'm very sad it's gone.

This is the website that the Grid Search linked you to: https://www.xwordinfo.com/. But there is no search based on grid patterns. You just have to wade through hundreds of puzzles looking for a grid that might work.

[benchen71]

...and it's back! Woo hoo!! I have found https://ugleh.com/gridsearch/ irreplaceable. In its absence I have been severely limited in my grid constructing.

[Joepickett]

I sent in a puzzle to the WSJ in December 2022 and I'm still waiting for a response from them. Seven to eight months seems like a long time for a response. Do you think they lost it? Should I send it again? I followed the submission rules so I don't understand why it is taking so long.

It was my first try so I was expecting a rejection but I didn't even get that.

Thanks for any feedback.

[benchen71]

I sent in a puzzle to the WSJ in December 2022 and I'm still waiting for a response from them. Seven to eight months seems like a long time for a response. Do you think they lost it? Should I send it again? I followed the submission rules so I don't understand why it is taking so long.

It was my first try so I was expecting a rejection but I didn't even get that.

Thanks for any feedback.

Did you send in a meta puzzle or a themed one? I know from experience that they don't accept metas at all. And when I submitted a themed puzzle they did eventually get back to me, but it was more than a 6 month wait.

[Joepickett]

It was just a themed one. I'm not ready to build one with meta! I used the .puz format, etc. I guess Mike et al are super busy.

[damefox]

Seven to eight months seems like a long time for a response.

I can confirm that seven to eight months is a very normal response time for the WSJ. Sometimes it takes longer. And I will stop now because if I keep going this post is going to become a paragraphs-long rant.

[damefox]

If you want to submit to an outlet that gives quick feedback (which can be very helpful even if the puzzle is rejected), I highly recommend submitting to David Steinberg and the team at Universal. Their response time is sometimes <24 hours and almost always less than 3 weeks. amsxwords@gmail.com

[Joepickett]

Seven to eight months seems like a long time for a response.

I can confirm that seven to eight months is a very normal response time for the WSJ. Sometimes it takes longer. And I will stop now because if I keep going this post is going to become a paragraphs-long rant.

Finally heard from them today and it was rejected as I expected. So they have 8 * 30 * say 10 a day or 2400 puzzles in backlog? That's a lot of puzzles.

[damefox]

Finally heard from them today and it was rejected as I expected. So they have 8 * 30 * say 10 a day or 2400 puzzles in backlog? That's a lot of puzzles.

The thing that bothers me is that no other mainstream puzzle outlet has this issue. And the NYT has a LOT of puzzles in its backlog. So this is not an unsolvable, inevitable problem of just being a mainstream crossword outlet. Other outlets I think have come close to having this issue before, but they have taken steps to improve response time. When the NYT is overloaded, they pause submissions for a couple weeks so editors can catch up. Universal also occasionally emails its constructors asking for a pause in submissions or setting limits on how many puzzles can be submitted at once.

And at this point, sometimes the NYT gets back to me in <3 weeks with a rejection. Which is always disappointing, but hey, at least it only took them three weeks to tell me and I can submit it elsewhere in a timely fashion. Universal is sometimes less than 24 hours. The WSJ crossword likes to bill itself as "America's most elegant, adventurous and addictive crosswords" (that is a direct quote from their website). There is just no way they are getting America's most elegant, adventurous, and addictive crosswords even submitted to them because what constructor is going to submit their best work to the WSJ when it takes this long to get a response???

Told you this would become a rant...

[Joepickett]

Finally heard from them today and it was rejected as I expected. So they have 8 * 30 * say 10 a day or 2400 puzzles in backlog? That's a lot of puzzles.

Told you this would become a rant...

Yes, I was looking forward to it. Thanks for not disappointing.

Their main reason for rejecting mine was that my theme answers were related but not phrased in the same way. Which was a good point but waiting 8 months for the feedback.....come on.

[BrianMac]

I saw this article and thought of you all.

I haven't been solving many puzzles these days, much less constructing them. Just because of changing interests and priorities and life getting lifey, I guess.

I hope you all are doing well!

[benchen71]

I saw this article and thought of you all.

Oof, the process of getting a themed crossword published is simply awful. I tried a few times (not with the NYT, though) but the long wait time followed by rejection was way too disheartening for me. I am glad I have MOAT as an outlet for my meta puzzles. Without xword-muggles, I don't think I would still be creating puzzles.