Myles Mellor is a crossword puzzle constructor in California. He estimates
there may be as many as 1,500 active constructors in North America.
"As crossword-creation software becomes more ubiquitous," says crossword
puzzle constructor Coral Amende, "I would imagine the figures are on an upward
trend."
Even the most successful constructors earn, on average, only around $10,000
a year. "You get paid by the newspapers or magazines you write for," says
Mellor.
"They do not pay much. Will Shortz, The New York Times' crossword editor,
pays $100 per puzzle and $350 for a large-sized Sunday puzzle. There is not
a lot of money in it."
With few exceptions, most constructors have to hold other jobs to make
ends meet. By day, Mellor works as the vice-president of a software company.
Having a steady job gives many constructors the financial security they
need to keep creating puzzles. But it also forces them to juggle the demands
of their work with the time-consuming task of constructing.
For most people, says Mellor, creating a single puzzle "takes 20 to 30
hours or more. Sometimes it actually takes a month."
And since it can take a long time to create a puzzle, Amende notes that
constructing often works out to less than minimum wage. "But the pay isn't
the point, obviously."
Constructors, especially newcomers, must also be prepared for the very
real possibility of not getting paid at all. "It takes years, sometimes, to
break in and sell a puzzle -- years of sweating the small stuff, reworking
puzzles and stacks of rejection letters," says Amende.
Earnings and employment information from the U.S. Department of Labor is
not available for this field at this time.