"Here's to ..."

What makes a great toast so moving? We hear the care that went into selecting the words. Like a well-done toast, few other gifts are as personal and specific as a custom crossword puzzle.

There are no ads on this site.

Why give a custom puzzle? A custom crossword sends a message - a message of love, hope, or anything you'd like to say. It can include the names of your children, students or best friends. It can take you back in time to that family vacation, or remind your spouse of how you first met.

Consider one for a ...

• Special Birthday
• Special Anniversary
• Teacher, Mentor or Coach
• Retirement Party
• Engagement Proposal
• Wedding / Rehearsal Dinner
• Family Reunion
• Corporate Retreat "Icebreaker"
• Get Well gift

Not ready for a custom puzzle? See the "More" tab for T-shirts and other gifts for your crossword fan.

Elizabeth crafts customized, American-style crossword puzzles of any size. She would also be glad to talk with you about writing a subject-matter-specific puzzle for your monthly or quarterly publication.

Stay Sharp

You may have seen articles about mental exercise. Whether or not crosswords help the brain stay sharp, they are fun and educational! See:

• “Put Your Mind To It,” Washington Post, 1/2/ 2007
  

• “As You Get Older, Your Brain Needs Exercise Too,” The Orgeonian, 10/17/2008

Grab Readers' Attention

Adding a customized crossword puzzle to your publication can yield susbtantial benefits in readership and reader involvement.

The modern crossword puzzle first appeared in 1913, and was a national craze by the 1920s. They are still a fixture of American culture. Most newspapers carry at least one daily puzzle, and they are enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds.

Not So Simple.The crosswords you see in books and newspapers meet exacting standards for symmetry and composition. Those who solve crosswords regularly have an intuitive understanding of these rules, but may not realize all that goes into a puzzle's construction.

Rules of Construction

A close cousin: "Crisscross" Puzzles.Crisscross puzzles look like a Scrabble game. They're popular in grade schools as "vocabulary" puzzles.

	Crossword	Crisscross

A crisscross is not a good substitute for the real crossword fan. However because they are entirely subject-specific, they can make great table activities for a reception. There are sites where you can generate a crisscross for free (or almost).

A puzzle from December 1913

Computer-generated?

Some publications now print puzzles generated entirely by computers, but the best do not.

Why? Crosswords are about culture and language, which constantly evolve. Eventually computers will be able to generate wordplay from an internet meme, but today they rely on more static dictionary sources. And dictionaries are ... so yesterday.

Like the Puzzle in Your Newspaper. Your puzzle will meet American crossword standards and will look like the crossword in your local newspaper. Or if you prefer, we can break a few rules. You tell me what you want to convey; I will build the puzzle to meet your goals.

Your puzzle is an original work. You may use and reprint the puzzle as often as you like. You can expect:

1. Up to 10 keepsake copies printed on acid-free archival paper
   
2. An electronic file that you may use to print additional copies
   
3. A file compatible with Across Lite, a free program that will let you solve the puzzle interactively on your computer
4. The option to have your puzzle design printed on a T-shirt, mug or other gift item
   

Price is a Factor of Size and Style.Contact me if you would like me to consider donating a puzzle for a nonprofit fundraiser. I am glad to consider these requests if I have the time. Pricing for common puzzle sizes:

• Daily Size (15x15). The size in most weekday papers, and a good size for the recreational puzzle solver. From $375; higher with tricky content, but slightly lower if I can find an excuse to charge less.
• Sunday Size (21x21). I only recommend this option in specific situations. A large puzzle takes much longer to create. $845 and up.
• Crisscross.Technically not a crossword, this puzzle type makes sense in some settings, such as a table game at a large party. NO LONGER OFFERED - use the free apps!.
• Sudoku, Word Find. Contact me. They are not expensive, but you may be able to find sites that will create them for free.

Facebook Speaks

Seen on Facebook: "Gina is wondering what in the world to get her parents for Christmas. They don't need a blooming thing!"

• Michele: "Make a DVD of Lara and all the cute stuff she did growing up. Or take them to do a family portrait if everyone is home for Christmas."

• Beth: "A crossword puzzle with their names in it! Or the names of the grandkids. Or the phrases from growing up that still make you laugh, and only you and your parents know what's so funny!"
  

• Michele: "Good one Beth! My dad is crazy for crosswords and cryptograms."

Follow these steps to order your puzzle.

• Figure out what you want. Review the Samples online and/or contact me for additional ideas.

• Contact me or complete a Questionnaire about the purpose and content of your puzzle, and the deadline.

• Using your input, I will work with you to determine the best puzzle size as well as the cost and the time it will take. We will discuss the custom part of the puzzle. I won't agree to create the puzzle unless I know I can do it well, and up to this point you have made no commitments.

• Review, sign and return the Agreement, which outlines this process. We will also talk about payment terms and when that is due.

• My first deliverable for you will be a list of words I've included in your puzzle. After that, a proof copy of the final puzzle for your review. I recommend that you recruit for the proofing process a "test-solver" who is familiar with your audience, but not familiar with the word list. A short time later, your puzzle(s) will arrive!

Confidentiality Matters

Confidentiality is important. In the agreement you sign as part of the custom puzzlemaking process, Elizabeth commits to respecting the privacy of any information you share with her.

Not Quite "All About Steve"

For those who have seen the movie "All About Steve" ... Yes, a person who designs crossword puzzles is called a "constructor." No, we don't all wear red boots. And no, it is not possible to create an American-style puzzle that is ALL about anyone, unless that person conveniently morphs to match a puzzle.

I do recommend the documentary Wordplay as an introduction to the world of puzzlemaking.

Here are some common questions about Give a Crossword custom puzzles. If you don't see yours, please contact me.

Is my puzzle generated by a computer? No. Your puzzle is generated by a person who uses software to help place words in the grid. The software reduces the time it takes and therefore the cost of the puzzle, but the soul of the puzzle is in the input you provide, and in the choices I make during its design.

Why can’t more personalized words be included? Unlike a "crisscross" puzzle, the crossword format produces a tightly meshed grid that limits the number of possible solutions. This is the magic of a crossword, since any clue can be solved by solving the clues of the crossing words. But it also makes complete customization effectively impossible.

The words I don’t specify, where do they come from? I place your content on a grid and build the puzzle around it. Where possible, I select words that are meaningful to your audience. I use words that are in the dictionary or in common language, and I design the puzzle so that these words are interesting and lively, and have clues that your solver(s) are likely to enjoy.

Will I get a chance to provide input? Yes, you can be as involved as you would like to be. You will approve the puzzle’s theme before the puzzle is built, and you will have the opportunity to preview your puzzle.

How is pricing determined? It takes many hours to craft a customized puzzle. Pricing is based on my estimate of the time it will take to create a puzzle of a certain size, theme and level of difficulty. A large puzzle takes much longer than a smaller one. Creating a puzzle that is easy to solve actually takes more time than creating a difficult puzzle.

Do you create other types of puzzles? I offer American-format crossword puzzles and crisscross (vocabulary) puzzles. My computer will create a Sudoku or Word Find if you would like. For cryptics, UK and European-style crosswords and other puzzle types, I will refer you to a trusted colleague.

How long does it take? The minimum time is one week; that depends on what else is in queue and how prepared you are with your input. Order as early as you can.

Find me on the web ...

If you have access to the New York Times puzzle archives, you can access my first NYT puzzle, which ran on 7/5/2005.

You can also find me on the puzzle site, xwordinfo.com. And Amazon carries NY Times compilations with catchy titles ("ferocious Crosswords," "Tension-Taming Crosswords") that may contain my puzzles, along with those of other constructors.

Some Feedback

"The puzzle was a great success. Mom said she loved it! ... [She] was delighted in the cleverness of it all. I would say a 9 or 10 out of 10. Thanks for creating such a personal gift for my mom!"

"My father loved the puzzle! ... My mother loved it too. As I mentioned, I really enjoyed the process. Thanks again."

"HE LOVED IT !!"

"A real pleasure working with you. ... thanks again for helping create a super surprise for my mom's birthday. I know she'll love it."

"He was confused and couldn't figure it out for about 20 minutes. But then he got his name and marry and one other. And he knew! So I popped the question. He said yes of course. Ha!"

The 21x21 square puzzle below was created for two preschool teachers (one of them an avid puzzler) and the class parents. It contains the names of the children in the class, with clues that are unique for each child.

"Three's Company" (solution)

The custom content of this puzzle (student names) is shown in bold type. Clues used information provided by the parents, for example:

• “Three-year-old who wears his PJs under his clothes so he will always be ready for bedtime.”
  
• “Three-year-old who is named after a poet who inspired the name of a famous musician”

In addition to the names of the students, I included words relevant to the audience, such as BEACH BALL, NEMO, SHREK, and T SHIRT. Also, because a teacher was a Virginia Tech fan, I clued MASCOT as “HokieBird, for one.”

Relatively "Eco-friendly"

Unlike some other customized gifts, puzzles are printed on a recyclable medium. And of course if a crossword puzzle ever ends up in a landfill, it is biodegradable.

Elizabeth does what she can. She recycles ink cartridges, drafts puzzles on U.S.-made paper from sustainably grown forests, and selected a "green" hosting company for this website.

Heroes

There are many constructors whose names you might know from bylines, and whose work I admire. A partial list, in no particular order: Nancy Salomon, Patrick Berry, Patrick Merrell, Vic Fleming, Elizabeth Gorski, Manny Nosowski, Seth Abel, Cathy Allis, Merl Reagle and the people on the "More" page of this site.

Elizabeth has been solving crosswords for as long as she can remember, and has been constructing them professionally since 2005. Her puzzles have appeared in the New York Times and in newspapers across the country that subscribe to the Times puzzle syndicate. She donates at least 5% of proceeds to nonprofit organizations.

Gifts for the Puzzle Fan

If you came to this site looking for general crossword gifts:

I offer my own designs for T-shirts, mugs, mousepads, etc. Shop here: Gifts. If you do not see the design you want, or would like to customize one with a name or phrase, contact me.

As for other sources, it's a matter of preference. The New York Times web store offers gift items using published puzzles from the NYT archives.

An excellent crossword puzzle resource is Cruciverb.com. From there, you can view discussion forums about puzzles from around the country. If you solve crosswords and have not already discovered the Games page of The New York Times, check it out. Times puzzle fans may also enjoy Xwordinfo.com.

Other Puzzle Sources (the competition)

I do great work, but you may also want to look around. Particularly if you are looking for other puzzle types (cryptic, cryptogram, word search), see:

• avxwds.com. Ben Tausig and team invite you to subscribe to a free weekly puzzle. He may still do custom puzzles.
• BrendanEmmettQuigley.com. Brendan Quigley is known for his current, lively puzzles.
  
• Puzzazz.com. Roy Leban offers puzzles of many different types, including custom puzzles.

Gifts

• EHA_Crosswords on Zazzle (you can find the same designs on CafePress). Put your crossword fan's name on a T-shirt along with a saying, puzzle photograph or even your custom puzzle. See the options on the right side of this page or contact me with questions.