How Much Do Crossword Puzzle Creators Make? Payouts, Rates, and Side Hustle Earnings
How to Start a Crossword Side Hustle: What It Pays and What It Takes
Crossword construction is one of the more unusual ways to earn money on the side, and one of the few creative fields where anyone can submit work to a major newspaper. But a crossword side hustle comes with long hours, high rejection rates and modest early pay. Here's what you need to know before you start, drawn from our conversation with Mark MacLachlan, a crossword constructor whose puzzles have appeared in the LA Times and The New York Times.
Key Takeaways
- Crossword puzzles typically pay about $200 to $2,500 US each, depending on the publication.
- A quality puzzle can take 30 to 40 hours to build.
- The New York Times receives a little over 200 submissions a week and publishes seven.
- Puzzles can only be submitted to one publication at a time.
- Ongoing contracts can offer steadier work than one-off submissions.
What Crossword Puzzles Pay
Crossword constructors are paid per puzzle, and rates vary widely by publication. According to Mark, pay ranges from about $200 US at the low end to as much as $2,500 US for the Sunday New York Times puzzle.
Because you're paid per puzzle and not per hour, your effective hourly rate depends on how long each puzzle takes you. At 30 to 40 hours per puzzle:
- A $200 puzzle works out to roughly $5 to $6.67 an hour.
- A $2,500 puzzle works out to roughly $62.50 to $83.33 an hour, although Sunday puzzles are much larger and may take longer to build.
Early on, expect the lower end. Mark earned about $200 for his first LA Times puzzle and about $250 US for his first New York Times puzzle, which took him around 80 hours. That's roughly $3 an hour. Most constructors build skill and speed over time, which improves the math.
How Long It Takes to Make a Crossword Puzzle
For an experienced constructor with a theme in mind, a solid puzzle breaks down roughly like this:
- Finding theme entries: 6 to 10 hours
- Filling the grid and writing clues: about 20 hours
Add in refinement, and 30 to 40 hours per puzzle is realistic. Your first puzzles will likely take much longer.
How a Crossword Puzzle Is Built
American-style crosswords follow a set of rules that editors expect you to know.
- Choose a theme. This is the hardest step. Most published crosswords are built around a theme, with several long "theme entries" tied together by a clever idea. The theme needs to be fresh and not used before. One example from Mark: repurposing computer error messages, such as cluing "Windows update failed" as "You're going to need some new panes in your home."
- Place the theme entries symmetrically. A ten-letter theme entry on one side of the grid needs a ten-letter partner on the other.
- Add black squares. The pattern must have rotational symmetry, meaning the grid looks the same when turned upside down.
- Fill the grid. The remaining words, called "fill," must be real words and phrases. The whole grid must connect, with no closed-off sections and no one- or two-letter words.
- Write the clues. This is where creativity and research shine. Look at each word and think about wordplay or trivia that could make its clue memorable.
Grid sizes and limits: most daily newspaper puzzles are 15 by 15 squares, while Sunday puzzles in The New York Times and the LA Times are 21 by 21. Publications may also cap the number of clues. A daily New York Times puzzle, for example, can have no more than 78.
Software: most publications require submissions in a file format produced by crossword construction software.
How the Submission Process Works
- Anyone can submit. You don't need to be a professional to send a puzzle to the LA Times, The New York Times or other newspapers.
- One publication at a time. Each puzzle must be submitted exclusively to one outlet and can't have been published elsewhere.
- Expect to wait. Responses typically can come within a few months. The New York Times usually responds in two to three months, and some publications are much slower.
- Keep several puzzles in circulation. Because of the exclusivity rule, having a couple of puzzles out at once keeps things moving. When one is rejected, you can send it somewhere else.
- Revisions are common. Accepted puzzles often go through back-and-forth with the editor to clean up parts of the grid.
What Editors Look For
Two things make the biggest difference:
- A fresh theme. The most common reason for rejection is the theme: it isn't interesting enough, or it's too similar to one the publication has already run.
- Clean fill. The words around the theme should be everyday words. Names and cultural references are fine if most solvers will know them. No swear words, obscure entries, and anything too technical or academic, unless the publication's audience calls for it.
Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
- Inconsistent themes. Every theme entry should follow the same idea precisely.
- Obscure fill. It's tempting to force in an unusual word to finish a tricky corner of the grid. Editors notice, and those entries often lead to rejection.
- Showing off your expertise. Specialized vocabulary from your field may feel clever but can frustrate general solvers.
- Giving up too early. Even skilled constructors face years of rejections. Mark worked on and off for nearly a decade before his first acceptance.
Using AI as a Crossword Constructor
AI isn't a shortcut to a publishable puzzle. Mark doesn't use it to build grids or come up with themes, because he doesn't believe it has the creativity yet to produce fresh ones. Where it can help is suggesting ideas for a word that's especially hard to clue, as long as you guide it closely and make the final call yourself.
Earning Beyond Newspaper Submissions
Newspaper submissions are competitive and unpredictable, so look for steadier opportunities too:
- Ongoing contracts. Some publications hire constructors to create puzzles regularly. After Mark's side hustle became public, he landed contracts with University Affairs, a national higher education magazine, and his university's alumni magazine.
- Niche publications in a field you know. Industry, association and alumni magazines may value puzzles themed around their audience's world, and your own background can give you an edge.
- Let people know what you do. Mark kept his puzzles a secret for almost 20 years. Once word got out, paid work followed.
Fitting It Around a Full-Time Job
Crossword construction can work well as a side hustle because it can be done in small blocks of time. Mark spends half an hour to an hour most nights, and he also works on puzzles during flights and in airports. Consistent short sessions add up.
Keep solving, too. Solving other constructors' puzzles regularly is one of the best ways to absorb what editors are publishing.
Is a Crossword Side Hustle Right for You?
A crossword side hustle suits people who:
- Already love solving crosswords
- Enjoy wordplay, research and trivia
- Can handle a lot of rejection
- Are motivated by the craft as much as the money
It's a poor fit if you need fast or predictable income. As Mark puts it, "You're gonna give up too quickly if it's something that you're not really passionate about."
For the full story of how Mark went from a decade of rejections to The New York Times, listen to the episode.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do crossword puzzle constructors get paid?
Typically about $200 to $2,500 US per puzzle, depending on the publication. The highest rates are for large Sunday puzzles at top newspapers like The New York Times.
How long does it take to make a crossword puzzle?
An experienced constructor may spend 30 to 40 hours on a quality puzzle. Beginners often take much longer.
Can anyone submit a crossword to The New York Times?
Yes. Anyone can submit, but the paper receives a little over 200 submissions a week and publishes seven, so most puzzles are rejected.
Can I submit the same puzzle to several publications?
No. A puzzle must be submitted to one publication at a time and must not have been published elsewhere.
Do I need special software to make crosswords?
Yes, if you plan to submit. Most publications require a file produced by crossword construction software.
Can you make a full-time living from crosswords?
Some people do, but most constructors treat it as a side hustle they pursue for love of the craft.
