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Huge increases for NYT Puzzles!

From Will Shortz (Dec. 18, 2018)

It's always a pleasure to bear good news, and here's some very good news:

Starting January 1 the New York Times will be increasing its crossword contributor rates again -- and significantly so.

For a constructor's first to tenth crosswords published in the paper, the new rates will be:

Daily -- $500 (from $300)

Sunday -- $1,500 (from $1,000)

Beginning with the constructor's 11th crossword, the new rates will be:

Daily -- $750 (from $450)

Sunday -- $2,250 (from $1,200)

As I've written before, the purpose of the two-tiered scale is to reward the most reliable contributors and to encourage them to contribute more often. It's also a recognition that, generally speaking, puzzles from regular contributors require less time and effort editorially.

The new rates for Sunday variety puzzles are as follows:

Cryptics, Puns & Anagrams, novelties -- $600

Diagramlesses -- $500

Along with Joel, Sam, and everyone on the Times' games team, I'd like to thank all the Times' crossword contributors, who have helped make our puzzles so successful.

--Will Shortz

What Makes a Good Themeless Puzzle

A CRUCIVERB-L subscriber asked: What makes a good themeless puzzle? Put another way, what will increase the acceptance chances of a themeless puzzle these days?

Brad Wilber, a prolific and skilled constructor of themeless puzzles, responds below:

It depends somewhat on your desired market for your themeless, but keep in mind just how competitive the themeless market is and how selective editors can be. In the last few years, I have often said to myself, "Give them NO reason to say "no' to this."

--Listen to your gut if you have any misgivings at all about a clunky partial or a semi-obscure abbreviation - I feel safe in saying that most themeless specialists have had something declined on the basis of one or two SHORT entries an editor had no interest in using/justifying, even if the longer entries/stacks they facilitated seemed to throw off triumphant sparks. Remember the creative-writing adage of "kill your darlings." Many times people post queries on here looking for reassurance -- or a veto -- about a given entry; just my opinion, but in most cases, you should already be working on alternate fill if you have any qualms at all.

--Check to make sure the percentage of proper names in ... Read More

Crossword Subscriptions

It's nice to have the Today's Puzzles links on the right-hand column, but let's not forget about the subscription-based puzzles out there! If you want quality puzzles by some of the best in the business, look no further. The subscription fees are next-to-nothing, so please give your support and subscribe!

Name	Editor/Constructor	Delivery Day	Size	Cost	Action
Crossword Nation	Liz Gorski	Tuesday	15x15	One year - 14.99 Two years - 24.99	Subscribe
American Values Club	Ben Tausig	Thursday	15x15	One year - 20.00 Two years - 36.00	Subscribe
Fireball Crosswords	Peter Gordon	Thursday	15x15	One Year (45 puzzles) - $26.00	Subscribe
Classic Canadian Crosswords	Barb Olson	Wednesday	15x15	One Year - $19.99	Subscribe