Nytimes puzzle free#

(Read more about his puzzle, including in his own words, here. It helps to think of a good theme (Kim prefers themes that involve word-play), identify what kind of a puzzle it is, then lay it all out on a grid that makes sense.įor instance, his New York Times puzzle’s theme is “Check All the Boxes” It is a “rebus puzzle,” which means some squares can include an illustrated picture in place of a whole word. It’s ok if you don’t know “who won best actress in 1924.” And nobody wants to see anymore “old baseball players, bad acronyms, obscure trivia or only white male historical figures.” The clues should feel current, things that people actually say. Why doesn’t he try writing one?Īccording to Kim, “the mark of a good puzzle is the moment of joy when somebody fills it.” This warm community helped him get started, and was giving him a nudge. Learning the terminology for people who do crosswords and people who write them (“solvers and constructors”). Surprisingly, what Kim loved most wasn’t the puzzles. Lucky for Kim, there is a whole world of crossword puzzle tournaments - fun and welcoming events in hotel ballrooms and church basements where competitors are scored for speed and accuracy. “I wonder how I compare to other people?” He liked solving crosswords, and was getting good at it.

Nytimes puzzle free#

With lots of free access to newspapers, he “developed a 3-4 per day habit” as he remembers it. “The ultimate nerd goal.”Īnd - like any major achievement - the road to get there was long, arduous, and involved a formidable vocabulary.įor Kim, it all began in college.

It was his debut in the famed publication.

The June 27th, 2019 edition of the New York Times marks a crowning achievement for Kim in his crossword constructing career. Clue: The Holy Grail of Crossword Publishing.