Submit Your Crossword Puzzles to The New York Times (2024)

Gameplay|Submit Your Crossword Puzzles to The New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/article/submit-crossword-puzzles-the-new-york-times.html

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The New York Times looks for intelligent, literate, entertaining and well-crafted crosswords that appeal to the broad range of Times solvers.

Puzzle Submission Guidelines

  • Submission Guidelines
  • Technical Specs
  • Puzzle Submission Form

Submissions are open.

Submissions will temporarily close starting July 1, 2024 at 5 P.M. and will reopen July 19, 2024. We will review already submitted puzzles during that period, so you may still hear from us while submissions are closed.

A New York Times crossword will be a collaboration between you and our staff of editors, who will seek to preserve your voice while making the puzzle as enjoyable as possible for solvers. This page of guidelines is a living document and reflects our current best practices on crossword construction.

A summary of what we look for:

  • Lively fill, with words, phrases and names that solvers know or can infer from the crossings.

  • Original, on-target clues, pitched at the puzzle’s intended difficulty level, including a variety of cultural reference points.

  • No more than three puzzles pending at a time.

  • What we could use more of: Thursday and Sunday puzzles that don’t involve a rebus.

Submission Guidelines

Themes

Themes should be fresh, interesting, narrowly defined and consistently applied throughout the puzzle. For example, if the theme includes a particular kind of pun, then all the puns should be of that kind. Themes and theme entries should be accessible to everyone. We generally prefer puzzles with playful themes rather than straightforward subjects.

Fill

Constructors should emphasize lively words, well-known names and fresh phrases. Common words that lend themselves to interesting and imaginative cluing angles are encouraged.

Diversity in cultural references — for age, gender, ethnicity, etc. — is desired.

Avoid offensive language. Be mindful of words that might impact solvers negatively. Non-English words are allowed, so long as they are familiar or inferable to people who don’t speak the language.

Will Shortz

Lead puzzle editor

Joel fa*gliano

Senior puzzle editor

Sam Ezersky

Digital puzzle editor

Tracy Bennett

Digital puzzle editor

Wyna Liu

Digital puzzle editor

Christina Iverson

Associate puzzle editor

Puzzles

Size

Published 1 – 2

Published 3+

Monday – Saturday

15 x 15

$500

$750

Sunday

21 x 21

$1,500

$2,250

Submit Your Puzzle

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Submit Your Crossword Puzzles to The New York Times (2024)

FAQs

How much does the NYTimes pay for a crossword puzzle? ›

Over the years, these rates have increased numerous times. The Times currently pays $300 to $450 for weekday puzzles and $1,000 to $1,200 for Sundays. These are by far the best rates of any open market for puzzles, but they still don't truly reflect the time, effort and skill involved in producing high-quality work.

How to make money with crossword puzzles? ›

Most magazines and lots of magazines have crossword puzzles and might be interested in buying your puzzles. Write to them and ask. Start with smaller publications… not with The Times and so on! Larger newspapers and magazines tend to have regular, in-house crossword compilers.

What is the acceptance rate for the NYT Crossword? ›

What is the acceptance rate when submitting a crossword puzzle to the NYT? - Quora. The acceptance rate is between 4% and 7%. Anecdotally Will Shortz has said that as of 2009, he receives over a hundred puzzles per week.

How do you get the nyt crossword puzzle? ›

You can play the New York Times Crossword puzzle at nytimes.com/games, in the The New York Times Games app (iOS and Android), and in the Play tab of the New York Times News app.

How much do crossword puzzle writers make? ›

As of Jun 19, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Crossword Puzzle Maker in the United States is $16.56 an hour.

Do you have to pay for the New York Times crossword? ›

Home delivery subscribers receive free access to Premium Crosswords. Play now , or go to the home delivery website to register your subscription for free access. Benefits of New York Times Premium Crossword Membership: Enjoy access to 4,000+ puzzles, and solutions, from The Times's archive.

Can I make money selling puzzles? ›

Making money online with no experience as a beginner is entirely possible with the right strategy and tools. By following this step-by-step guide, you can start selling puzzles online and potentially earn up to $200 a day. Remember, the key to success is consistency, creativity, and excellent customer service.

How can I make and sell puzzles? ›

You can also create a steady income stream by selling your puzzles on multiple platforms, such as Amazon, Etsy, and eBay or via social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. By taking your business online, you can access a much larger market and customer base.

Is doing crossword puzzles good for the brain? ›

Research has shown a positive correlation between crossword puzzles and daily life functions, especially for people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Experts emphasize that larger clinical trials are needed to unravel the observed associations between crossword puzzles and how our brains function.

What is the most famous NYT crossword puzzle? ›

Perhaps the most famous is the November 5, 1996, puzzle by Jeremiah Farrell, published on the day of the U.S. presidential election, which has been featured in the movie Wordplay and the book The Crossword Obsession by Coral Amende, as well as discussed by Peter Jennings on ABC News, featured on CNN, and elsewhere.

What is the hardest day for the NYT crossword? ›

The crosswords are designed to increase in difficulty throughout the week, with the easiest on Monday and the most difficult on Saturday. The larger Sunday crossword, which appears in The New York Times Magazine, is an icon in American culture; it is typically intended to be as difficult as a Thursday puzzle.

What is 25-40 and 51 across? ›

Mr. Hrynick brings his theme home with one last pun at 64-Across: “What 25-, 40- and 51-Across might originally have appeared on, appropriately?” That would be a DEMO TAPE, short for demonstration — or in this case, demolition.

How much does the New York Times pay for a crossword puzzle? ›

The paper receives more than 200 puzzle submissions each week, according to Ezersky. New York Times Sunday crossword constructors are paid $1,500 for their first or second puzzles; $2,250 for their third or more; dailies pay $500/$750, following the formula.

What do grey squares mean in crosswords? ›

Clues marked in gray indicate that a word has been entered.

What does rebus mean in NYT crossword? ›

A rebus in a crossword is a specific square in which multiple letters should be input to form part of the solution. For example a player may see squares for 5-letters to be input, but the final square could contain a word or multiple letters instead of just one letter.

How much is the New York Times crossword puzzle app? ›

The app is free to download and you can play many games every day with a new puzzle each day for free.

How much is USA Today crossword puzzle? ›

Unlimited Digital Access to USA Today Crossword: $19.99/year* Your subscription includes full access on desktop, tablet and mobile.

What does a nyt games subscription get you? ›

With a New York Times Games subscription, you have access to all of The New York Times Word Games and Logic Puzzles, including: The Crossword - Access to the Daily Crossword puzzles the evening before their release in print. The Mini Crossword. Wordle.

How much do the New York Times cost? ›

$1/week for your first 6 monthsyear. Billed as $4 every 4 weeks, then $25 thereafter. Subscribe nowCancel or pause anytime.

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