I’m Mike Shenk, and I’ve been crossword editor and puzzle writer for the WSJ since 1998. I’ve created over 10,000 crossword puzzles in my life, including many of our weekly contest crosswords link. Ask me anything (except the answer to this week’s contest)!
PROOF: https://i.redd.it/im06minwkx5a1.jpg
UPDATE: I'm stepping away now. Thank you all so much for your questions!
Do you have a favorite puzzle? Like, a specific puzzle that you've done.
Are computer-generated crosswords kinda of crummy?
Do you solve crosswords in other publications (NYT, USA Today, LA Times, etc)? Or, since crosswords are your work, do you avoid them as a hobby (i.e. like a professional chef who doesn't want to cook at home)?
What are some bits of crosswordese you'd be happy to never see again?
Any tips for someone who'd like to give creating puzzles a try?
How did you manage the transition from being a crossword solver to a crossword constructor in terms of how you approached puzzles? In the same vein, how did you manage the transition from constructing puzzles to mostly editing them at the WSJ?
What are some of your favorite clues that you made up during your career?
Did you grow up wanting to work in crosswords?
Do your worry your job won't be around much longer? Have you given any thought to what you'd do if crossword editor wasn't a thing anymore?
Are you and Will Shortz friends, enemies, or frenemies?
Gotta be Yoko Ono or Brian Eno
When are you going to have other constructors other than you and Matt Gaffney create the Friday meta puzzles?
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The first step is coming up with a theme, and finding theme answers of good lengths that balance each other. Then I place them in a grid, decide where black squares look promising, and then fill in the restof the words. Clues come last.
I'm not sure I have an absolute favorite. One of my favorite Friday contest puzzles was "Rainbow Connection." (I won't spoil it in case you can find it on the WSJ site.)
Many of them are. The key to making a good computer-generated crossword is to spend a lot of time tweaking the word list. And even after that, the computer can't write good, clever clues.
I solve a few crosswords. I do Matt Gaffney's Weekly Crossword Contest puzzles, and Peter Gordon's Fireball crosswords. I solve the Times puzzle sometimes, especially the unthemed Saturdays.
If I consider it crosswordese, I'd be happy to never see it again. My current top nonfavorite word is STYE.
Get a copy of Patrick Berry's Crossword Constructor’s Handbook from his website. And look for the Facebook groups for new constructors.
For more AMAs on this topic, subscribe to r/IAmA_Specialized, and check out our other topic-specific AMA subreddits here.
At some point, I just thought "I wonder if I could make a puzzle." So I did. (The early results were pretty bad.) Editing is a lot like constructing, asking "How could this puzzle or clue be better?"
One of my early favorites was "Play with matches" for TENNIS.
Is there a word or phrase you'd love to work into a puzzle but haven't been able to yet? And if not, are there any you're particularly proud to have included, especially if they were debuts?
From time to time, I hear a song on one radio station and then a minute or two later hear it on another station. This may happen for a few songs in a row, and I'm convinced it's just the DJs messing with each other. Well, one time I was travelling for work and I was doing a couple different crosswords every day - I noticed that for that whole week, several words appeared in common between the two crosswords. Do you think it was coincidence or do crossword editors mess around from time to time like radio DJs?
Hi, Maddie here from the WSJ interrupting for a minute. Here's a link to Rainbow Connection: https://www.wsj.com/puzzles/crossword/20180629/41573/index.html?mod=wsjreddit
I didn't have those ideas until I got to college, where I made a crossword for the daily student paper. Then I thought it would be great to make a living making puzzles, but I knew that wasn't realistic. Years later, I'm still surprised.
Yeah, no favorites. Too hard to come up with fresh clues for those folks.
As you create more and more crossword puzzles, does the job get easier or harder?
I'm not too worried. I've been doing this for decades now, so if it goes away I'll be ready to retire. Though I hope it lasts another decade or two.
Me too. The newspaper business needs oldtimers like us. Good luck to you, and thanks for the reply.
Will and I are friends. We worked together for years at Games Magazine, and I'm a judge every year at his crossword tournament.
Thanks Maddie and adding that the hidden answer to that contest is a color.
The only words I can't include are the really offensive ones, and anything longer than the grid will fit.
We have occasionally Friday metas from Patrick Berry and Peter Gordon. But since I need to test-solve every meta to gauge its solvability, I'm need to be picky about those I'll invite.
Yes, lots of those words that appear so often they're hard to clue in fresh ways. But they do glue the rest of the puzzle together.
Obviously there's often something hidden in the Friday contest puzzles. Other than those, I've probably hidden messages in puzzles in the past, though nothing comes to mind.
My great-uncle spent years building up an alphabetized exercise book with every answer that appeared in his favourite daily crossword (it was a very repetitive puzzle.) And then every day he would look up every clue in his book and fill in the answer.
Do you approve or disapprove?
I've noticed that too, but it is just coincidence. I don't collaborate with other editors to plant common words. (Though maybe there's a super-meta contest idea in that...)
Thanks for the response! I appreciate your work.
Filling grids becomes easier--you get to recognize which areas need to be tackled first and what words will fit. Coming up with new themes gets harder, since you feel like you've seen everything.
I wish I had a better answer, but no, no particular word I've been dying to include. And I don't keep track of debut words, so I guess I don't have one to be proud of.
Any crossword pet peeves, either as a solver, a constructor, or an editor?
Sort of a do-it-yourself crossword dictionary. Nice.
Do you get hate mail?
Do you make catty comments about how they constructed them as you complete them?
As an editor, I don't like an answer word in the grid to appear in a clue for a different answer. My test-solvers are very good at pointing those out.
What's an innovation in crosswords that you would love but the Public isn't ready for?
I don't get hate mail. If the WSJ mailroom gets any, they're nice enough not to share it with me. I do get occasional lukewarm-or-worse reviews on some of the puzzle blogs.
I'm not sure there's any innovation I could come up with that some clever constructor hasn't already done. With all of the self-published crossword sites online now, a constructor doesn't need to worry what the public is ready for.
How long does it take you to completely create a puzzle?
Until recently, I was pen solver (with plenty of cross-outs). When my printer conked out a while back, I switched to digital and haven't gone back to paper.
What do you look for when evaluating puzzles submitted to WSJ?
How much pull does an editor have at the paper in terms of increasing pay for constructors, setting editorial standards, etc.?
Until recently I was a pen-and-paper solver (with plenty of cross-outs). When my printer conked out a while back, I switched to digital, and haven't gone back to paper.
You know he can't admit that!
What’s your favorite (non WSJ)? What’s your favorite indie outlet? Favorite blogs? Favorite constructors?
What do you think of (modern/indie) crossworld’s drive in increasing diversity among constructors, and what do you think print outlets could do better in this area?
It varies a lot. Sometimes it feels like the grid is cooperating and sometimes it feels like it's fighting me. For a daily puzzle, it might take two hours or less, or it might take days, putting it down and coming back to it. Cluing adds more time.
First: the theme--is it fun, clever, fresh?; is it well balanced and consistent?
Next: the filler words--are they good, lively words and phrases, with a minimum of abbreviations, partial phrases, crosswordese?
Last: the clues--if everything else looks good, the clues can always be fixed.
Do you ever just come up with a crossword item and just cackle maniacally as you fit it in?
I've been pretty much allowed free rein on deciding on the puzzle style. Getting more pay for constructors is tougher, since the WSJ is a big organization with lots of levels to go through, so my pull isn't as strong as I'd like.
What do you think of wordle? do you like it?
My favorite puzzles to solve are the themeless Fireball puzzles (which, since I'm crazy, I like to tackle with just the Down clues) and Matt's contest puzzles (though I don't always solve the meta). I won't name favorite constructors except to say I like the ones who require the least editing.
I'm happy the indie outlets are doing what they are. I'd love to get more puzzles from underrepresented groups, but my philosophy is that I'll use any good puzzle submitted to me.
I'm not really a maniacal cackler. (Maniacal, maybe.)
It's weird, I kinda think it's silly but I still do it every day.
Any or all of the above. First I'll look at the grid fill to see if any areas can be improved. After I'm happy that the grid is as good as it can be, I'll edit the clues which can mean tweaking a few or rewriting whole swaths. Which day of the week the puzzle is scheduled for can mean making the clues easier or trickier. And when the puzzle is laid out, I might need to edit more clues to fit on the page.
Thanks for doing this AMA. 2 questions:
My assistant Joanne and I look at every submission separately and then compare notes. It usually doesn't take long to look over a puzzle--usually less that 15 mimutes--but we get so many, we have a big backlog (months) of puzzles we haven't gotten to.
Once a puzzle is accepted, I add it to the files. Every week, I pick a set to use, pick the days they'll run, edit them and lay them out. Then they go to the test-solvers to check. Once the revisions are made, they get uploaded to the WSJ.
What is a 14-letter word that means utterly hopeless ?
How many meta puzzles have you published that you were not able to solve? Any specific examples?
Hi Mike. Big fan.
As a constructor I've had many instances where I've had a puzzle I've made accepted for publication by an outlet, and then in the interim between that acceptance and the puzzle getting published, one or more of the clues became outdated or otherwise problematic (sometimes I look through the AVCX archives and think, wow, we referenced Kanye a lot back then!) ... have you ever had to significantly alter or un-accept a puzzle that was kosher at the time you accepted it?
How do you judge what is too "niche" in terms of pop culture references, or possibly too niche in general? The answers I get frustrated with are the ones I have absolutely no relationship to- like actor names, or tv shows that I hear about but would never watch. I guess this is basically a question of how you determine "difficulty" in general, but I wonder if you have some limit in your mind that you don't cross.
are there people who dont do that?
Is that crosswordese? I've definitely used that in casual conversation, and is a thing that is occasionally genuinely relevant to my life unlike, say, ETUI or mel OTT.
Has “PENIS” ever been an answer in one of your crosswords?
Would you rather fight one horse sized Will Shortz or 100 Will Shortz sized horses?
Didn't you work for Games back in the day? I loved that mag. How do you feel about its combination with World of Puzzles?
Throughout these years,were there some moments where you felt that you'd get short of new patterns in some time?
Also were actually used to be crazy for crosswords at some times like Stanley Hudson?😁
South African golfer Ernie ___.
Nice! Those are the kinds of clues that make me LOL when I finally figure it out.
That won't fit.
That was great. Thanks!
What is a 6 letter word in Yiddish for bedbug? Starts with V.
If the guy that's been putting these together since 1999 says it is, then it is.
Games is where I recognized your name from, way back in the early 80s.
Do you have any tips for inspiring constructors?
4D crossword puzzle
Edit: Nevermind, already exists.
Funny, my baby just had a STYE so it wouldn’t be anywhere near the top of my list :)
How did you get into professionally creating crosswords?
in that case it would be interesting to know how he defines "crosswordese", because I've always understood it to mean "words and concepts that are common in crosswords, and more or less nonexistent in real life", which stye demonstrably is not.
No, you had the right guy first try but one L. Els.
How often do you find yourself referring to medical term, Stye?
I personally had a stye a few months ago, and it was also a topic of conversation last weekend with my sister-in-law who currently had one. So, not infrequently, I guess?
as a fellow crossword lover, thank you for your work. does wsj plan to release a book like the LA times does?
Fair enough
I'm not trying to be like "I have this very unique experience, and that should be everyone's experience", I just genuinely didn't think of styes as this ultra esoteric concept that people only understand in the abstract, i think of it as a relatively common, relatable experience that most people will probably have a few times in their life.
Is that not the case?
I literally said fair enough
I wish this question was answered. There are so many crossword editors who don't take into account the problematic phrasing of clues or the fact that the solved word is only legible to a certain segment of the population (hello baseball?)
Do you consider Eric the midget being an answer the pinnacle of your career?
OTT and ORR are by-far my least favorite. Especially because, even after seeing them thousands of times, I can never remember which is which.
(One is a famous hockey player from 60 years ago, the other a famous baseball player from 90 years ago.)
EPEE is also up there, but I just like the feel of it.
We got games magazine at home all through the eighties and it's what got me hooked on crosswords.
I'm an average crossword enthusiast and even I can tell when they're poorly made
People gets styes on their eyes
Genuinely feel like I'm missing something. Is there a peculiarity to the WSJ puzzle I'm unaware of? Completed this puzzle (thanks for link) and nothing jumped out as being exceptional. Maybe the performance in a '69 football game but before my time.
Give him a break; he has so many styes he can’t read your posts properly.
Don't forget Anais Nin and Erno Rubik!
I love the clues that make me mad at myself for not getting them, when they’re super obvious but with a twist that throws me off!
I was confused too.
There's a meta-puzzle (not shown on the page) that asks for a certain color. One of the clues suggests how to find the answer.
It's a very tricky one.
>!The colors of the Rainbow are: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. And each of those seven initial letters only appear once in the whole puzzle: R, O, Y, G, B, I, V. And if you join those seven letters in the puzzle they make an arrow which points to the diagonal solution to the Color Puzzle: TEAL.!<
https://crosswordfiend.com/2018/07/01/wsj-contest-june-29-2018/
YOURSEXHISTORY
Whatever happened to Games Magazine. I subscribed for years...
Thank you
Is Henry Quarters still submitting puzzles?
You know you're old when words that confuse people were common knowledge to you when you were growing up...
Nice use of literally
It's a common enough word.
Please calm down.
If I see ALOE one more time...
Sometimes you just need to jump around the puzzle. Never try to do them all in order.
Have you seen the crossword killer? It’s a b movie set in a world where everyone is obsessed with crosswords. If you love a crap and cheesy movie, would recommend
Still exists under the name Games World of Puzzles. (World of Puzzles was a spin off, then they merged back). Not as great as it once was, but still fun. Like me.
Just remember that a hockey stick is flat like an oar (ORR), and a baseball bat is not (OTT)
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Hey Mike, not sure if you’ve created any cryptic crosswords during your time (they’re my favorite); if so, what would you say would be your favorite three cryptic crosswords clues?
Mine have been:
Gegs (9,3) - Scrambled Eggs HIJKLMNO (5) - Water (8) - Clueless
You should shout that from the top of Mount Etna
Wait. Stop. TEST-SOLVERS??? How do I get that job??
I’m glad somebody asked this. I was doing a few different crosswords a day at one point as well and every day there are words from the other crosswords in each others’ puzzles. It feels like they’re copying their homework!
Have you seen etui recently? Your comment just reminded me that I haven't found it in a puzzle in awhile. Glad it's gone, like they finally (mostly) stopped putting "sapporo sash" in as well.
Oreo can't seem to die though.
I’m sorry, but this exchange is peak comedy
I think after 10 years of practice I'm finally remembering the difference between ural and aral.
Thank you.
Bobby Orr, defenseman in Hockey
2 other words that I used to frequently see were stoa and adit. It's been a while since I've encountered them.
While riding your emu.
I'm not sure it's an accident. One of the papers was the Detroit Free Press and I think the other one was the USA Today but it's been several years and I can't remember.
Mine was only a few months ago. I would do USA Today, Dictionary.com, and Washington Post.
Hahaha, I’m about 10 years in but still short of mastering this
Bobby Orr! I don't even like hockey but I know that one... Maybe because he's Canadian. Dunno who Ott is.
Who wins in a fight, you or Will Shortz?
In a battle to the death between you and Will Shortz , Who would win?
Lol! :-)
How do you have a job since crosswords can be autogenerated (and good software has been around since the early 90s)?
why would the word baseball be only legible to a certain segment of the population?
I'm pretty sure Bostonians still worship Bobby Orr
And ‘oreo’
I always thought crossword puzzles would be created by computers these days, since at first glance it appears to be an easily automated task. What would you say is the 'human touch' that makes publishers like the wall street journal choose you over a computer for this task?
I worded that poorly. The baseball clues can be legible to a certain segment. I wouldn't classify them as pop culture.
oh okay, I thought that’s what you meant but I’m a bit clueless on the world of crosswords (no pun intended) so wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing something.
If you met Will Shortz in a dark alley, would you fight him?
My local newspaper prints last weeks NYT and LAT crosswords every Sunday. We always do both and there is almost always one obscure word in common or sometimes reversed ( the clue in one is the answer is to the clue on the other). I really don’t believe that it is coincidence.
Can confirm, I'm never upset to see Bobby ORR in a puzzle, even if I'll concede that Catch-22 deserves mention once in a while
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Kittystar12 t1_j0hefuh wrote
What is your process when creating a puzzle?