Interview with Bruce R. Sutphin

As Lemonade mentioned in his write-up of today's DROP IN, this is our third Bruce Sutphin puzzle. His previous two Friday grids also involved letter string addition (TAG) & deletion (RS, with a great LOSERS as the last Across entry to tie things together).

Bruce only started constructing in 2010, but you could feel his passion and talent for construction from his theme selections. His desire to constantly improve himself is also evident in his blog comments the last several time he visited us. I look forward to more challenges and fun from Bruce.

How did the LOSERS idea come to you? It's such a brilliant unifier. Very unexpected two consonants dropping.

I had really enjoying a NYT puzzle (12/1/09) by Vic Fleming and Jonah Kagan where they parsed BREAKFAST as BREAK FAST and a couple of times afterward had toyed with similar themes messing with word breaks. Obviously LOSER would have made for more possible theme entries, but I thought I would see what I could come up with for LOSERS. I made a version of this "LOSERS" puzzle and sent it to Rich Norris at the LAT and he rejected it, but commented that the theme was cute and he liked the ONEHOETOWN entry. I redid the whole puzzle keeping that one entry and after some revision had it accepted.

Tell us a bit about your background. How did you get into crossword construction?

I had solved crosswords a bit off and on growing up, but with no regularity. In August 2009 I found all these different blogs and Ryan and Brian's "Fill Me In" Podcast. I was completely hooked. In the spring of 2010 I decided to attempt constructing. My first puzzles weren't very good, but I really enjoyed making them so I kept at it. I came into contact through the blogs with Doug Peterson and he and I started working on a puzzle last summer. Working with him has been a blast, we have a couple puzzles we made together in the LAT pipeline and a couple of others out that we are waiting to hear back on. Although my first 2 puzzles accepted were solo efforts, there is no way I would have made publishable quality puzzles without Doug's support and feedback. He is a true Crossword Gentleman.

Which part do you normally spend the most time on in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing?

I definitely would say the theme brainstorming. Early on I was quick to try and make a puzzle based on half baked or incomplete themes which was setting the puzzles up for failure from the start. I have enjoyed collaborating with Doug (I also have a puzzle in the NYT pipeline I co-constructed with Neville Fogarty) and find that the bouncing of theme ideas and theme entries off someone else makes a huge difference. The gridding obviously poses its own challenges and it can be annoying when things don't quite work out as you want, but I do like finding good entries. I especially like cluing a puzzle and even though it is the last portion of the creation, there isn't a temptation there for me to rush it since the clues are the solvers entry into the puzzle and if they don't grab them, then they might not bother solving the puzzle.

How does constructing change your solving experience? And what kind of themes/fill fascinate you as a solver?

When solving a puzzle, I don't really think that I notice that much difference now. I am far from a speed-solver, but I find that I appreciate themes more when I am done with a puzzle, especially if it is something really unique that I wish I had thought of. All the puzzles with added elements I find interesting, whether it be a picture created, or a neat trick where the entries aren't just entered in the "usual" way. Fresh fill is always great, or even commonplace fill clued in a new and interesting way always gets me. When my first (or even second or third) impression of what a clue wants isn't right, I like that. You can always clue something I don't know in a way so that I won't arrive at it easily, but cluing an entry I know in a tricky way that takes some thought, that's the best .

What puzzles do you solve every day and which constructors do you find most inspiring?

I solve the NYT, LAT, Newsday, and CrosSynergy everyday. I do all the Brendan Emmett Quigley puzzles, the Fireball, WSJ, Boston Globe, Phil Inquirer, Post Puzzler, Matt Gaffney, ISwear, The Onion, InkWell, Chronicle of Higher Education.... I think about 43 a week. They take me a heck of a lot longer than the elite solvers, but I also spend a lot less time on them then I did two years ago. I have seen great improvements in my own solving time. Obviously I am a big fan of Doug Peterson's puzzles. I also think all the stuff put our by BEQ, Matt Gaffney and Peter Gordon is top notch.

Besides crosswords, what are your other interests?

I am a 35 year old married father of 3. I have two daughters 8 and 6 and a 1 year old son. I am a stay at home dad during the day and I teach a mathematics class for a community college at night each semester. I enjoy reading, movies, and getting out to golf when I can.

Interview with Gary Cee

I mentioned earlier this year that Gary Cee's EYE OPENER is one of my favorite puzzles in 2010. Amazing interlocking of theme entries.

Gary only started constructing in 2007, but he already had 8 puzzles published by the NY Times alone. Today is Gary's 4th puzzle for the LA Times.

What's the inspiration for today's theme and what were the other theme candidates you also considered?

I pulled up to a traffic light and saw a bumper sticker that included the words "the wrong way." A common phrase is "rub the wrong way" or "rubs the wrong way," which was a nice 15 to go through the middle of this grid. So I went to work to find theme answers that included or broke up s-b-u-r and came up with today's theme answers.

I adored the theme entry intersection in your last EYE OPENER puzzle. I'm curious: Were CAFFEINE & NICOTINE parts of your original theme entry consideration or did they just come up in your filling process?

Gotta be honest, I totally lucked out on that one in the fill.

What's your background? And how did you get into crossword construction?

I'm the program director and afternoon host at 101.5 WPDH in New York's Hudson Valley. I've been here for 8 years and was previously at WLIR on Long Island. I'm the author of 'Classic Rock,' a coffee-table book released in 1995 that's still available from online book retailers. Grew up in Patchogue, Long Island, but now I live in LaGrangeville, just east of Poughkeepsie.

I started making puzzles in 2007 as a hobby, and got a ton of rejections before being accepted first by Will, then by Rich.

Which part do you normally spend the most time on in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing?

I'm not a patient person by nature but I've learned to become much more patient in the gridding process. That's the part I spend the most time on.

What makes a puzzle special to you? What kind of theme & fill fascinate you?

Anything funny and clever, I suppose. Lively vocabulary, fresh fill, clues that make me laugh, etc.

What puzzles do you solve every day and which constructors do you find most inspiring?

I do the NYT puzzle every day, but Friday and Saturday are very tough for me. My favorite constructors are Patrick Berry, who's been the most inspiring, Brendan Emmett Quigley, Joon Pahk, and Matt Ginsberg.

What would we be surprised to know about you?

I'm trying to finish writing a symphony!

Interview with Kelly Clark

Argyle said he "was struck by the imagery and the lack of abbreviations and yet still a doable Monday" for Kelly Clark's "Ouch" puzzle in June. We both adored Kelly's "Birds Do It" grid so much that we continued our discussions of her effort after the blog post was published.

Besides constructing for the LA Times, Kelly has also made puzzles for the NY Times (13 published) and the Wall Street Journal. Kelly constructed puzzle #1 for the 2011 ACPT (American Crossword Puzzle Tournament).

Both of your LAT puzzles we had this year have five theme entries: three Acrosses (one in central row) & two Downs, and a bonus 1-Across entry. Is that your preferred puzzle style? Is 1-Across an afterthought in the filling process or pre-arranged at the beginning of the gridding?

In the first one, it was an afterthought, to be honest. I'd finished the fill and realized it might be fun to have a sort of "intro" at 1 Across. Since 1 Across was a four letter word, it was pretty easy to work OUCH into it and refill the corner. In the August 22 puzzle, the 1 Across CHIRP was deliberate. In fact, I'd originally had TWEET as the final Across answer, but had to let it go after making the changes Rich asked for. Between you and me -- everybody shut your eyes for this part ;-) -- Rich was the soul of patience with me during the August 22 puzzle construction. According to my records, it took four versions to get it right. Okay, everybody can open their eyes now. ;-) Seriously, Rich is a fantastic editor. He's also a fantastic constructor.

To answer the other part of your question, though, yes...I like to incorporate a central theme entry whenever possible.

What's your background? How did you get into crossword construction?

My husband and I own a small advertising/design studio. He's the designer, I'm the copywriter. I got into crossword construction primarily to entertain my fellow parishioners in our weekly bulletin. This was back in the late 1990s. 'Course I soon realized I didn't know what I was doing, and fortunately stumbled upon Kevin McCann's incredible forum. I was mentored by the whole group...primarily, the great Manny Nosowsky. My first puzzle -- which took me *months* to construct -- ran in the New York Times in 1997.

What kind of themes and fill fascinate you and what kind do you try to avoid?

Until recently, I'd been fascinated with "trick" themes...generally Wednesday/Thursday level types. And puns...I love puns!

But about a year ago I realized I'd never even attempted a Monday-level puzzle and really wanted to make one. That's when I realized how difficult it is to construct an easy puzzle. Will bought my first Monday puzzle, but then ended up using it as the opener for the ACPT last spring. Rich bought and published my very first Monday puzzle last June...it was like a dream
come true!

Which part do you normally spend the most time in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing? Which part do you enjoy the most?

Oh, theme brainstorming, no question. That's the most time-consuming -- and for me, the most enjoyable -- part of the game. It's very stimulating. Filling the puzzle, on the other hand, is fun in a different kind of way...oddly enough, it's very relaxing for me.

What's the most proud puzzle you've made and why?

That's a toughie! I'd have to say I'm proudest of the June 20 LA Times puzzle, since it was my first Monday puzzle. Tied with that, though, is my debut New York Times puzzle of Wednesday, October 29, 1997.

What puzzles do you solve every day? And whose byline do you most look forward to?

The New York Times and the LA Times, daily. I love Merl Reagle's Sunday puzzles, along with those of Henry Hook and Cox & Rathvon -- they run in the Boston Sunday Globe Magazine. My favorite constructors are Manny Nosowsky, Rich Norris (these two guys haven't been seen for awhile and I miss them!), Harvey Estes, Nancy Salomon, Paula Gamache -- gosh, there's too many to list!

Besides crossword, what else do you do for fun?

I love to walk. I live in Boston and it's a walking town. My idea of a good time is tromping mindlessly along the streets. I like to speed walk, too. I love working with my husband -- advertising is fun! And I read a lot. But my great joy is working as a volunteer chaplain at Mass General Hospital a few afternoons a week.

Interview with Peter A. Collins

Peter A. Collins delighted many of us with this fish puzzle in May 2011. A fish appears when when you connect the circled letters in alphabetical order, and the only four letter O's in the grid form TINY BUBBLES coming from the fish's mouth. It's one of the many innovative and unconventional puzzles Pete created for the LA Times and NY Times.

Pete started constructing puzzle in 2006. He has had 53 puzzles published by the NY Times, 7 by LA Times and a few by the NY Sun, The Chronicle of Higher Education, USA Today and Peter Gordon's Fireball Crosswords.

I hope you enjoy his answers as much as I did. And a big "Thank you" to Joe Krozel for making this interview possible.

What's the inspiration for this theme and what were the other candidates you also considered for the hidden element?

I think (it's been a while) I got the idea for this theme while I was tinkering around with an "alchemy" themed puzzle that eventually ran in the New York Times (8/10/2010). In that puzzle I turned LEAD into GOLD through a word ladder. I noticed that both lead and gold were fairly short words that seemed to lend themselves to be hidden in other expressions. That got me thinking about other elements and their hide-ability. Of course, so many of them have long/bizarre names, they weren't practical. I wanted the hidden elements to be interior, so something like CAR BONNET (CARBON) was out. I also wanted the elements to span multiple words, so something like STINGY (TIN) was out. When I realized SURPRISE ELEMENT was exactly fifteen letters long and aptly described the theme, I decided to go for it.

Where were the trouble spots for you in the gridding and filling process? Overlapping of theme entries is always challenging.

Yes, I was happy that I got the upper and lower pairs of themed entries to overlap for six letters (I really like it when themed entries run perpendicularly to one another and intersect, but that's usually impossible). Sometimes in a situation like this, the fill can get a bit strained, but overall in this puzzle, I don't think it was too bad (ESOS and NTSB are a bit unfortunate, though). When I have parallel themed entries as in this puzzle, I usually try to fill the longer entries that intersect two (or three) themed entries first. Giving the longer entries as much zip as possible is important. In this puzzle, I really liked BATTLE CREEK. Almost everyone has heard of it, and it's where I went to high school -- Go Bearcats!

What's your background? And how did you get into crossword construction?

I'm a high school math teacher in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I came to Ann Arbor (from Battle Creek) as an undergraduate student and never left. I also teach at the University of Michigan in the summers. My wife (a fellow Wolverine) and I have four daughters -- two are in town here at the University of Michigan, and two are still in high school.

After having been a casual solver for many decades, I eventually got into a routine of doing the LA Times and/or NY Times puzzle on a fairly regular basis. Eventually I stumbled upon Will Shortz's book of favorite puzzles, and I was blown away by the creativity I saw. I thought "I've got to try this". It's been a great creative release for me ever since.

Before I started constructing, I remember having seen BLING in a puzzle. I was both thrilled ("That is so cool!") and confused ("Wait -- that's not a real word!"). I think that moment was some kind of an epiphany for me.

How would you describe your puzzle style? What kind of themes/fill interest you the most and what kind do you try to avoid in your grids?

For me, a novel or ingenious theme is worth the trade-off for a little less-than-stellar fill. I really am not fond of the type of puzzles where, for instance, every first word in several phrases can precede another word. Even add-a-letter/drop-a-letter themes can seem pretty tired, unless they're really well done. If you look back at all the puzzles I've had published, I'd like to think there is a great variety in terms of theme choice. If you had to pick one recurring type, it just might be the kind of hidden word theme as seen in this puzzle.

What is the most memorable puzzle you've made and why is it special to you?

I did a Beatles-themed rebus puzzle in the New York Times (5/18/2006). It was actually my second published puzzle in the NY Times, but I wrote it before my first puzzle was published, so I was really a beginner. I did it with pencil (and a lot of erasing) on graph paper, with no high-tech help. I put many hours into that thing, and since at the point in time I was unpublished, I think my wife thought I'd lost my marbles. When Will Shortz accepted it, he said some very complimentary things, which really gave me the encouragement to keep going as a constructor.

What puzzles do you solve every day and which constructors do you find most inspiring?

I really only have time to do one puzzle a day -- but sometimes I do more than one anyway. Usually the New York Times or the LA Times. I also like Peter Gordon's Fireball puzzles. I'm still not an expert solver. I can often hack my way trough a Friday, and the occasional Saturday, but I am by no means a speed-solver. I've never been to the ACPT, but I hope to go some day. I rarely do Sunday puzzles due to the time commitment, but I like to keep up with their themes by reading the blogs.

I think Patrick Berry is amazing with the smoothness and quality of his fill. Joe Krozel (with whom I often collaborate) is definitely on my wavelength in terms of liking off-beat themes (in addition to his clever themeless puzzles). I like Mike Nothnagel and David Quarfoot's themeless puzzles. Elizabeth Gorski has done some really nice picture-in-grid stuff that I am often drawn to myself, too. There also seem to be a lot of clever young constructors coming up. That's good to see.

Besides crosswords, what are your other hobbies?

I still play soccer and volleyball competitively. I run a bit, and ride my bike to work when the whether permits. I read, I juggle, and I like to follow the Detroit and U-Mich sports teams. As I write this, the Tigers are beating the Yankees!

Interview with David Poole

We've covered 7 of David Poole's puzzles on this blog. From H dropping A, E, I, O, U starting cockney gimmick to the humorous re-interpretation of Wall Street phrases last month, all of his grids have a different theme type with a distinctive flavor. He is another constructor who constantly strives for originality and entertainment.

I had lots of fun with his NY Times' ACRONYM puzzle: URL is spelled out as YOU ARE ELLE? ("Supermodel Macpherson, I presume?"). KGB becomes CAGEY BEE! ("Sly insect!"). Awe-inspiring!

David only started constructing in 2008, but he has already had 11 puzzles by the LA Times and NY Times. Amazing record. I asked David a few questions, and was so pleased that he took time answering them.

What's the inspiration for this puzzle and what were the other theme entries you considered but failed to make the cut?

The seed for this puzzle actually failed to make the cut. It was FRAGRANT FOUL clued as [Wearing perfume in a scent-free workplace, e.g.?], which I like a lot. Unfortunately, the trailing L fails to be converted into an R, which makes it inconsistent with the theme. So, as is often the case, a lesser entry was needed - in this case, FRAT SCREEN TV. C’est la vie!

Tell us a bit about your background. How did you get into crossword construction?

I’m a mathematician and, like most mathematicians, I enjoy puzzles and anything that involves lateral thinking. However, I don’t have a strong background in any of the other sciences. I think of myself as a humanist dressed up as a scientist. My other interests are art history, film, sports, and pop culture, all of which inform my crosswords.

I have solved crosswords since I was a teenager but only got serious about them a few years ago. People frequently gave me crossword compilations as presents but, after receiving an NYT book for Christmas in 2008, my wife suggested that I try constructing puzzles. After pooh-poohing the idea, I realized that she was right (as is usually the case): Why not try constructing?

My first few submissions were to to Peter Gordon at the New York Sun (just before it folded). Unfortunately, he rejected all of them, doing little to help my self-esteem as a constructor. (Looking back on those puzzles, I would now reject them too, with one exception.) My first accepted puzzle was by Rich Norris at the LAT. He was looking for a Monday-level puzzle and he liked one I had submitted. It appeared on June 8, 2009, within a month of acceptance! Since then I’ve had nine other puzzles appear, four more in the LAT and four in the NYT. More are in the pipeline. Both Rich and Will are fantastic editors and have been a joy to work with.

I have benefited immensely from Nancy Salomon’s advice. In the early days, I routinely ran puzzles by Nancy and she was unselfish and unflinching with her comments. Along with many others, I owe her an immense debt of gratitude. I still seek her advice – although less often – but she is always willing to help. The cruciverb-l listserve is also an incredible source of support. Thanks, Kevin, for setting it up and thanks to the wonderful community that inhabits that list.

How would you describe your style? Wordplay and puns seem to be featured prominently in your grids. Loved your YOU ARE ELLE? puzzle.

Thanks for the love on my YOU ARE ELLE puzzle. That’s one of my favorites. I do like wordplay and always have. I remember that when I was a kid - probably about 10 years old - my local newspaper ran a contest in which place names were hidden in a cartoon, cryptic style. For example, a cartoon showing a factory supervisor (BOSS) and a 2000 lb. weight (TON) might clue BOSTON. Today, I would have major problems with the way the answers were clued but, as a kid, I loved it! So much so that I decided to devise my own versions of contest entries, just for fun. Of course, my immediate family members were the main victims beneficiaries of my efforts.

Puns are fun too but I use them sparingly as theme entries. I’m quite happy to let Merl Reagle look after that! I’m not fond of quote themes either (unless they are really sparkly) or “word that can precede/follow the starts/ends of ...” themes. I imagine that at some point I will do one of these but I’m in no rush. I love rebus puzzles and would love to create an acceptable one some day but, thus far, none of my efforts in this direction have panned out. I also enjoy themeless puzzles but I haven’t tried constructing one yet.

Which part do you normally spend the most time on in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing?

I’d have to say that my time is spent in decreasing order on the three items you list. I love coming up with (hopefully) interesting themes. I also try to take time to get a good grid with solid secondary fill. As for the clues, that’s my least favorite part of the process but I strive to get at least 20% of my clues to be fresh. Of course, many clues get changed in the editing process but I’m always happy when the editor leaves my clues alone.

What is the most memorable puzzle you've made and why is it special to you?

My favorite puzzle is my “cockney-themed” LAT puzzle (May 28, 2010). It was challenging to construct but the theme is the tightest I’ve ever done: The phrases that result from dropping an H begin with A, E, I, O, U, in order in the grid - that was very nice! Rich Norris, as always, was very helpful in suggesting improvements to my original submission. The YOU ARE ELLE puzzle mentioned above is also special as it was one of the first NYT submissions of mine that Will Shortz accepted. Both of these puzzles are especially satisfying since, as far as I know, the themes are unique.

What puzzles do you solve every day and which constructors consistently inspire you?

I do the NYT, LAT, and CrosSynergy puzzles every day, along with the cryptic crossword in my local paper, the Toronto Globe & Mail – especially the Saturday cryptic by the estimable Fraser Simpson.

Otherwise, I love Matt Gaffney’s puzzles and, when I see his byline, I know I’m in for a treat. In addition to his syndicated puzzles, he has his weekly crossword contest which is a constant source of enjoyment/torture. I honestly don’t know how he does it, week after week. Liz Gorski’s Sunday rebus puzzles are classics! I enjoy the playfulness that she exhibits in everything she does. For fresh and fun clues, no one does it better than Bob Klahn. If you want to learn up-to-the-minute pop culture, start doing Brendan Emmett Quigley’s puzzles. He’s taught me about bands that I never knew existed and jargon that I’d never heard before (much of which doesn’t pass the “breakfast test,” but who cares?). He’s also a master of incorporating lively phrases into a puzzle. Among other constructors that I admire are Nancy Salomon, Patrick Berry, Tony Orbach, joon pahk, and the late Dan Naddor.

I know I’m overlooking many others but there are so many outstanding constructors out there it’s hard to acknowledge them all individually. All I can say is, “You are all a constant source of inspiration to me. Thanks!”

Besides crosswords, what are your other interests?

I enjoy reading, hiking, gourmet cooking, and I’m an avid film buff. In my professional life, I’ve written a math textbook and I’d like to think that some of my cruciverbalist interests have crept into it. For example, it includes notes on the etymology of technical terms, historical notes, and quotations - items that many math books eschew.

Interview with Joon Pahk

This is our 4th meeting with Joon Pahk and first encounter with his collaborator, Andrea Carla Michaels, an excellent constructor who specializes in early week puzzles.

Joon's previous three LA Times all had distinctive style: a Sunday with a rarely-seen  four letter  FORE insertion, a Friday with a scrabbly ZZ insertion and a Saturday themeless with a unique grid design and a SIX-PACK ABS start. Today's SIX PACKS is another tour-de-force, we don't often have 7 theme entries in a 15*15 grid.

Joon only started constructing in 2008, but he has had ten puzzles published by the NY Times alone.  His byline also appeared in the NY Sun, Newsday (Saturday Stumper), Wall Street Journal and the Chronicle of Higher Education. He is also an excellent speed solver, finishing 15th in this year's ACPT.

 

Joon's wide-ranging knowledge base (from baseball to Norse myth to physics) and always original cluing   make his puzzles a bit challenging at times. I hope this interview gives us a closer look at his brain and helps us better tackle his puzzles in the future.

What is your background and how does it influence your puzzle style?

i teach physics to undergrads for a living, so certainly part of my background is that i'm a quantitative thinker. but i'm also something of a polymath (although it sounds terribly immodest when i say that about myself, doesn't it?). i used to do academic trivia in college, and i loved questions about literature, mythology, philosophy, religion, and art in addition to science questions that were more in my obvious wheelhouse. so especially for late-week puzzles, i like to include names and titles from all those areas. i'm not very old (although i can no longer really call myself young), and i have a long-standing aversion to pop culture from "before my time," because it reinforces the stereotype that crosswords are for old people. so i try to keep that to a minimum, too. i'm also a big sports fan, especially soccer, basketball, and football.

Which part do you normally spend the most time on, in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing?

i guess about half the puzzles i construct are themeless, maybe because good theme ideas don't occur to me that often... and when they do, i typically need somebody else's help to hammer them into a workable form. gridding is fast. cluing is slow. it can be glacially slow for a tough late-week puzzle. i read your interview with bob klahn and it had a profound effect on me. so i almost always take at least a week to mull over appropriately tough clues. writing easier clues is faster, although not fast. even so, it's happened to me twice now that i've sent off a puzzle and then, weeks later, thought of a really great clue for one of the entries. it happened to me in the LAT with WHIZ KID, which i'd originally clued as something boring like {National Merit Scholar, e.g.}. when {Brain child?} occurred to me out of the blue, i emailed rich with the clue and he kindly put it in. so not only is cluing slow, it's sometimes not even done when i've sent them all in!

Once you are set with your theme entries, how much time do you normally spend on grid design? And what are your criteria for a perfect grid?

not too long, unless it's a very dense theme. i recently gridded a puzzle with seven theme answers, and that one definitely took some tinkering. but for a more normal four or five theme answers, i just kind of drop them into the usual places, place blocks around them heuristically, and start to fill. i always check to see if i can get some of the theme answers to intersect, because i like it when that happens. but actually, it's never happened for me! maybe i should just stop checking.

i don't think there's any such thing as a "perfect" grid. everything is dictated by the constraints of the theme (or, if i'm doing a themeless, how ambitious i'm trying to be about word count or open space). i try to avoid partials in late-week puzzles. i really don't like abbreviations, although familiar acronyms are fine. i shy away from prefixes and suffixes, variant spellings, awkward plurals, weird foreign words... you know, all the stuff solvers don't like. but pretty much everything needs to be evaluated in the context of the whole puzzle. in an easy puzzle, i don't mind a partial or two. in a themeless, i've been known to resort to crappy short fill to get the long stuff to really sing, although i'm trying to do that less these days.

I love the freshness of your clues. How do you maintain such originality and creativity? Do you have Xword Info or other databases open while cluing or do you only consult the database once you are done with yours?

thanks! as i mentioned earlier: i spend a lot of time on cluing. as a solver, i've found that even puzzles with blah themes and fill can be fun to do if the clues are lively, so when i construct, i pay special attention to cluing in the hopes that it will draw attention away from the flaws in my theme or fill. word association is the key, i guess. since i'm a trivia buff, sometimes word association will lead me to clue an ordinary word in reference to a work of literature or historical event. that way even if you don't know the trivia, you can learn something cool. but most clues aren't trivia clues, of course.

i do use the databases, but more to figure out what's already been done that i need to avoid, or at least put a new spin on.

one thing that i've never heard anybody else talk about (though surely i'm not the only constructor who does this?) is that i'm constantly on the lookout for great clues, even when i'm not actively cluing anything. i try to think of different (often literal) ways to interpret idiomatic expressions, and then consider what word they might be used to clue. if it's memorable enough, the next time i have to clue that word, i've got the perfect clue. (if i were more organized, i'd write these down.)

sometimes i'll even seed a themeless with one of these clues (instead of with a really fresh or scrabbly answer). a while back i realized that {Make believe} could be interpreted to mean CONVINCE, as in, "i will make (you) believe that something is true," so i built that into a themeless and clued it that way. sadly, when it ran, the clue had been changed, so i'm still waiting to use that one.

What's the best puzzle you've made and why?

sadly, it was a puzzle that very few people got to do: a friday new york sun puzzle that didn't make it to print before that newspaper folded. so editor peter gordon published it to the subscriber-only "sun crosswords" on feb 6, 2009. anyway, it was a very, very hard themed puzzle called  "transmutation." it's since been published in a book, i think (sunset crosswords by peter gordon). anyway, this is the one where i felt that the theme, fill, and clues all came together magically. actually, it wasn't magic at all, but a really productive collaboration with peter.

Who are the constructors who consistently impress and inspire you?

patrick berry is #1 with a bullet. i haven't seen quite as many of his mind-bending original themes in the past couple of years, but the variety puzzles he devises for the wall street journal (and his own book, puzzle masterpieces) are mind-bogglingly brilliant. and his themeless grids are to die for! he can whip up a 64-word grid with fill so clean you could eat off it: no abbreviations, no partials, no obscurities. i've never tried a 64, but i can do a 66... but there's invariably some crappy stuff holding at all together. i've done a squeaky-clean themeless, but it was a 72 without much pizzazz. long story short, i'm no patrick berry. he's a great editor, too; i've been very happy with the puzzles i've done with him for the chronicle of higher education.

i've got a few other favorites, but i'd be remiss not to mention BEQ. brendan and i talk about puzzles almost every day, and he'll often look over a grid or vet a theme idea for me. (i return the favor by test-solving his blog puzzles.) his style is inimitable, so i don't even try, but his advice has really helped me become a better constructor.

Besides crosswords, what are your other hobbies?

i burn through hobbies very intensely, but usually for only a few months or a year. so i have far more ex-hobbies (ping pong, speed chess, foosball, academic trivia, video games, poker, fantasy baseball) than current hobbies. i guess i still play duplicate bridge and board games, although not to the (globe-trotting) extent that i once did. anyway, crosswords have been at the top of the list since january 2008, but there are no signs of abatement yet.

Interview with James Sajdak

Some constructors specialize in earlier week puzzles, some focuses on themeless. James Sajdak is one of the very few who have delighted us with both. I always like James's grid layouts because they often feature long, lively non-theme entries.

James only started construction in 2005, but he has been published by LA Times, NY Sun, NY Times. 

Hope you enjoy this nugget-filled interview. I certainly did.

What's your background and how did you get into crossword construction?

I remember watching my father solve the Chicago Daily News puzzle after dinner (pen solver) back in the 1960s. During college, a couple of friends and I did the Chicago Tribune puzzle in the Student Union every morning before classes. My wife Kathy and I moved to Canada where we got busy raising a family, a big garden and chickens. Puzzles, except for the Sunday NY Times puzzle, were put on the back burner. After we moved back to our Midwest roots, I returned to the UW Madison, got a degree in English linguistics and began teaching English as a Second Language in Madison, Wisconsin. I got bit again by the puzzle bug in the ‘90s and in 2005 I felt an urge to try to make a puzzles of my own. My first two were published by Wayne Williams, then I was lucky enough to work with editor Peter Gordon, who shepherded me through an A, E, I, O, U puzzle and I was hooked. Peter, and then Rich Norris, taught me much about theme selection and constructing that I was unaware of. I thank them dearly. They each have their own editorial hand and both gave me an education into what goes into a well-crafted crossword.

How would you describe your puzzle style? I noticed that your grids often feature plenty of long non-theme answers.

Longer fill generally makes for a good puzzle. It opens up the grid so solvers don’t get stuck in a corner that has only one way in, usually through a theme entry. Secondly, longer entries offer many more options in selecting colorful words and phrases that evoke amusing, bizarre or endearing pictures in the mind. The short stuff is limited, so you end up with a lot of unwelcome abbreviations and crosswordese. Of course, as a constructor, I’ve sometimes bitten the bullet and used a less than desirable entry to aid in making the rest of the puzzle better.

Style-wise, I feel like I’m pretty open to anything, but I like feel-good, fun puzzles. For example, BABY GRAND, SWEETHEART DEAL, HONEY TREE, and SUGAR PLUM FAIRY. I love a good love theme and dislike war references. I make a conscious effort to avoid things like A TEST, N TEST, DESERT STORM and other militaristic references.

Which part do you normally spend the most time on, in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing?
 
Theme brainstorming is always a catch-as-catch-can affair. I might go a month without a clever theme idea. Then, in a week, I might come up with a couple of sparkly ideas. I have notebooks and scraps of paper with half-finished, or half-baked, theme ideas. They come from everywhere, but I don’t generally use reference books in adding to my “seed” theme entries. The most in-the-language theme entries come from things I hear, see or read as I go through the day.

Coming up with a decent grid can be a bear when I have a large number of theme letters in a puzzle. And making an acceptable grid for an eight or ten theme Sunday puzzle can be murder.

Cluing, for me, is the most creative part of the whole process. A good mix of straight, humorous, gimme (you’ve got have a way in) and ornery clues is what I like in puzzles I solve. That’s what I strive for when I write clues.
 
You've been constructing both themed and themeless puzzles. Which ones do you enjoy more? And what are the major differences in your approach?

For me, a cool theme is hard to beat and challenges me to place theme entries just-so to allow for a smooth grid. Cluing theme entries is the most satisfying part of constructing. I try to make myself laugh, a first step to making editors and solvers laugh too.

I will often work on a themeless puzzle when the theme muse is busy elsewhere (other contructors?). I keep a list of eight- to fifteen-letter special phrases I have encountered, especially those with a scrabbly quality. I’m not a master of the low word count themeless puzzles or stacked 15 letter entries. When I do a themeless, I try to remember that the whole puzzle is fill, so I’m always looking for colorful shorter fill as well. There’s not going to be any humor added by a set of related theme entries, so the amusement must come from all the entries. I have done a couple of themeless puzzles with “mini-themes,” (GIRL FROM IPANEMA, TOWN WITHOUT PITY, for example, with two balancing song titles) and I like these hybrid types.

What kind of reference books/websites do you use for theme entry selection assistance and clue accuracy checks?

As I said, I try to avoid reference books when I’m coming up with theme entries, since it adds some iffy stuff to my possibilities and takes my mind out of the language as we speak and hear it. Once I do have theme entries, I look for Google hits and check Cruciverb.com website for previous usage. Cruciverb.com is a great site to see if a theme idea has already been done. Google is also good to find some lesser known fact to use in a clue (crosswords as an educational tool.) I use Wikipedia only for broad overviews of a topic or entry.

My go-to dictionary is Random House Unabridged. I also love to dig into my atlas to find geographical names to create alliterative clues. (Barcelona bloom) FLOR.

I read blogs like yours and Amy Reynaldo’s to see how my and fellow constructor’s puzzles are received by our audience. That can be either an ego-boosting or humbling experience, but I think it keeps me from being complacent in making puzzles.

You've been quite prolific since you had your first puzzle with the NY Sun in 2006. Where do you find your theme inspirations and how do you maintain such productivity and originality?
 
Prolific, perhaps, but names like Patrick Berry, Dan Naddor and lately, John Lampkin pop up so frequently that I can’t think of myself as particularly prolific. Theme inspirations may visit anytime and anyplace, and, when they do I gather them in.

What kind of puzzles do you solve every day and which constructors do you find most inspiring?

I solve the LAT and NYT every day. On Sunday, I might also try Merl Reagle or the Boston Globe, but that’s a lot of boxes to fill in. I also really like what Patrick Berry is doing in his Friday Chronicle of Higher Education puzzles. I probably solve about 15 to 20 puzzles a week. I am not a speed solver, to say the least.

As for constructors, Patrick Berry has a combination of innovative theme ideas, constructing skill and precision in cluing that’s hard to beat. I like Joe DiPietro and have admired his clever style for many years. Bob Klahn’s clues are to die (laughing) for. Liz Gorski’s grid ideas are out of this world. There are another dozen or more constructors, both those who have been creating for many years and the new generation, that I really admire and would like to emulate.

Besides crosswords, what else do you do for fun?

We’re outdoorsy types. My wife Kathy and I do a lot of hiking and biking. We’re birders, snorkelers, and we’ve even tried snowshoeing (after all, we live in Wisconsin.) Reading, of course, is a big part of our leisure time (after all, we live in Wisconsin—long winters!) I listen to a lot of music, don’t watch much TV.

Finding laughs in everyday life, bizarre news stories and even on the mainstream news is an ongoing goal in my life. Humor is a healing force in our tough times and, I hope, in my puzzles.

Thanks for the opportunity to share my philosophy of constructing (and life) on your blog.

Interview with Ed Sessa

There are a few LA Times constructors whose byline always excites me, and Ed Sessa is one of them. His themes are consistently entertaining and always have fun twists. His RAIN CATS AND DOGS is one of my all-time favorites.

Ed had his first puzzle published by the NY Times in 2007, since then, he has had a total 20 puzzle published by the NY Times and LA Times. I asked Ed a few questions, and was very delighted by his prompt and informative answers.

What's your background and how did you get into crossword construction?

I’m a pediatrician living in upstate New York. Although it was all science in med school, my undergraduate education at Regis and Holy Cross was a Jesuit one, emphasizing English (my major), classical Latin and Greek language, grammar, writing etc. I think that developed in me a great fascination with the flexibility and nuances of our language. Over the years I wrote puzzles (mostly cryptics) for local publications and clubs, and even had a few tries with Eugene Maleska (thumbs very much down). In 2007 I submitted a puzzle to Will Shortz and was invited to resubmit it with one theme entry change. The final acceptance was an indescribable feeling, to be felt again when Rich Norris accepted my first puzzle for the LAT a bit later. Thanks to them both for their openness to new constructors.

There is often something nicely unexpected about your themes. The recent DO BE DO BE DO and RAIN CATS AND DOGS in 2009 come to mind. What kind of themes/fill do you prefer and what kind do you try to avoid?

I try to develop themes with humor and surprise, what some might call an “aha” moment, even if one might have to look at the finished puzzle for a minute or two to figure that out. However there’s a catch here: on one extreme is a puzzle where once one or two theme entries are filled, the others can be surmised without having to work the crosses. Then a solver has little motivation to complete the puzzle. On the other extreme is the puzzle where many solvers have no “clue” to what the puzzle is all about even after completing everything. Not everyone consults a blogger to find out what’s going on in a puzzle and that’s one unsatisfied solver! To me, either extreme is a failure on the constructor’s part and I’ve felt bad to read that a solver had no idea what my puzzle was all about. The same goes for fill and clueing: we all try for fresh words and phrases (“sparkle” as Manny N. would say) and new ways to clue familiar words (what new can one say about “aloe”) but all too often that can lead to obscurities or clueing that is a little “too clever”, an “inside joke” to sort of speak. That’s where a good editor steps in to troubleshoot themes, fills, and clues. Although you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, editors can make constructors look pretty good. It really is a team undertaking.

Which part do you normally spend the most time on, in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing?

There are enough computer programs out there to almost equalize the playing field for gridding and filling so coming up with a fresh, new theme is by far the most difficult. There are a lot of people out there working on crossword themes so there will be a lot of repetition. I had a KISS theme ready to go the same day Donna Levin’s wonderful crossword appeared in the LA Times with the same theme (I think we must be somehow related after the Jan. 5th “Mr. Ed” NYT/LAT dupe). Here one has to do the best one can and the key I feel is to develop the ability to be self-critical. After a couple of published crosswords, I went through a long string of rejections. I credit Nancy Salomon for driving home the point, in her own inimitable way, that one has to constantly be one’s own best critic-throw out a puzzle with two great entries but one “iffy” one, start from scratch if something’s not right. Even so, I still get my share of rejections, but sometimes one editor will like immensely what another editor has rejected, just as some bloggers/solvers who share their feelings on the web pro or con. One can better deal with this disparity if one is satisfied that he or she has put out the best product one can.

What kind of reference books/websites do you use for theme entry selection assistance and clue accuracy checks?

I use predominantly the RHUD, Roget’s Thesaurus, OneLook Dictionary Search and Wikipedia online. I also use Matt Ginsberg’s clue database and the Cruciverb database, mostly to see if a clue has been used before. That’s not always easy to do, and I don’t feel bad using a good clue if I at least came up with that clue independently

You've been quite productive since you had your first puzzle with the NY Times in 2007, total ten NY Times & ten LA Times, four of them are big Sundays. Where do you find your theme inspirations and how do you maintain such productivity and originality?

Most of my theme ideas come to me while walking my dog, or strangely enough before falling asleep at night (a sure recipe for insomnia). I think there are many theme types and techniques one can use. For two examples: 1. A title or punch line phrase presents itself and one tries to find a puzzle there e.g. I heard the Sinatra line “dobedobedo” on the radio and (after annoying my wife for days singing it) thought of a way to get it into a puzzle. There it was: 4 homophones for “do” and three for “be”, and the possibility for symmetry to boot – a cruciverbalist’s nirvana! 2. A common idiom comes to mind that can be interpreted differently, sliced and diced, or treated concretely as in “RAINCATSANDDOGS” or Joe Krozel’s nice “ONAGAINOFFAGAIN” puzzle. How do I maintain “productivity”? Nothing of any practical importance gets done around the house on time (!).

What kind of puzzles do you solve every day and which constructors do you find most inspiring?

I like to do the NY and LA Times puzzles and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Manny Nosowsky, with his ear for idioms, colloquialisms, and similar word sounds and awesome clueing, is of course the very best. And who didn’t admire Dan Naddor’s incredible ability to construct grids with such high theme content PLUS great fill. Some puzzles still resonate for me e.g. Peter Collins’ “Three-l llama puzzle” and Nancy Salomon/Harvey Estes’ “Tarzan” puzzle. But my favorite constructors are Cox and Rathvon, because my favorite type of puzzle is the cryptic puzzle. I’ve done just about every one of their Atlantic puzzles over the decades. With cryptics, the emphasis is on wordplay and less on information that one might or might now know. And no need for much structural crosswordese.

Besides crosswords, what else do you do for fun?

I spend part of the winter on Sanibel Island, where I fish a lot, golf a little, garden, and volunteer with the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge. For the past twenty years I’ve enjoyed birding as well as carving birds and decoys. And of course the most fun is being with my wife and dog and as often as I can my three children and one grandchild.

Interview with Bruce Venzke

Many of us enjoy Bruce Venzke's puzzles, which often feature colloquial, "everyday language" 15-letter spanners and smooth fill.

Bruce (in the middle) is a veteran constructor with over 500 puzzles under his belt. He has been published by the NY Times, LA Times, NY Sun, Newsday, Wall Street Journal, CrosSynergy and various newspapers and magazines. Rich Norris mentioned at the end of last year that Bruce Venzke is one of the top 10 constructors for the LA Times in 2010.

Bruce will be at ACPT during March 18-20, 2011. Say Hi to him if you also attend the event. I'd also like to say "Thank you" to Gail Grabowski for making this interview possible.

Can you tell us a bit of your background and how you got into crossword construction?

I got very involved in pocket billiards while at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. That led to my writing a monthly magazine column about pool and billiards for 30 years, until 2004. I had done a few small pool-theme puzzles for that column along the way, and in the process of trying to do those in a halfway legitimate way, I had found out a bit about the mainstream puzzle construction process. So, for whatever reason (I'm still not exactly sure), I decided to see if I could successfully do a "real" puzzle or two. On my second submission, I was lucky enough to stumble onto a theme which Rich Norris felt had promise, and with his kind counsel and assistance, got my first acceptance (March, 2002). Friends made me feel like I'd split the atom or something, so I kept going. (I guess that really means "ego.")

How would you describe your puzzle style? I noticed that your grids often feature nice grid spanners.

If I even have a signature style, it would probably derive from the emphasis on using predominantly "everyday language." I'm not a great solver by any means, having a limited education, particularly in the area of history, literature, the arts, etc. So in constructing, I soon decided that I ought to concentrate most on what I know best. As a result, I try very, very hard to keep what I consider "difficult" words and entries out... yet still have as much lively stuff as I can muster up. Each of us would draw a different "line in the sand" for assessing that quality, of course. But I'm pretty sure that if asked, top tier solvers would agree that most of my themed puzzles are too easy for their liking. (Some have said that even without being asked!) But I'm very much an "every man" myself, and I guess I try to construct with me in mind. If that makes me mostly an "early-week" constructor, it's OK with me; there are lots of tough puzzles out there for the cracker-jack solvers to solve. (And they really can solve, can't they? I'm just astonished watching the ACPT tournament every year! Unbelievable.)

I do like the elegance of 15s in the grid when possible, and I'm pleased you noticed that I use them when appropriate.

Which part do you normally spend the most time on, in the construction process: theme brainstorming, gridding or cluing?   

Building and filling grids is what I enjoy the most about constructing, and I think I probably spend more time at that than the average constructor, even for routine grids. I really dislike partials, cheaters, one-way-in corners and grid patterns without lots of interlock throughout, and trying to avoid those is time-consuming (at least for me!). And of course, they're not always totally avoidable. But I try hard. As for theme development, well, the longer I construct, the more time it takes, as new ideas get to be more and more elusive. Finally, cluing is the phase I like least, and as a result, it often takes the longest of all. (Note: On the nearly 400 collaborative puzzles I've done, my collaborator has done the clues on... every single one.)

You're one of those few constructors who make both themed and themeless puzzles. What are the major differences in your approach in terms of construction?

The biggest difference for me is that for themeless puzzles, which are to be more challenging, I drop much of my self-imposed restriction on the "difficult words" I seek to avoid in themed puzzles. That means I'm constantly looking up oodles of words that I don't happen to know, and trying to assess whether they're genuinely obscure or too difficult (as I might first think), or just another word that I don't personally know, and that would be fine in the puzzle. As a result, themeless puzzles take me a lot more time. I'm also a sucker for trying to have visually appealing symmetry or grid patterns in a themeless. That also translates into more time.

What kind of reference books/websites do you use for theme entry selection assistance and clue accuracy checks?

RH2 is a must for me, as is OneLook and all of its related sources of information. Even Wikipedia, taken with a careful grain of salt, is very helpful. Google, of course, gives us basically the whole Internet.

You've had over 500 puzzles published by various newspapers/magazines since you started constructing in 2002; where do you find your theme inspirations and how do you maintain productivity?

I've been very fortunate to collaborate with several fine constructors, starting with Stella Daily in 2002. We did almost 300 puzzles together, until she retired last year (only temporarily, I hope). Vic Fleming and I have also teamed up on 50 puzzles since 2005. And now Gail Grabowski and I have joined forces quite recently, agreeing to do ongoing collaborative work, and creating about a dozen puzzles so far. I mention this not only because they have all been so valuable and helpful to me, but because it means they've contributed about half of the themes needed! Good themes are always in demand. Like many constructors, I do keep a pad in my pocket and at the ready at all times. I jot down every fragmented (and often half-baked) idea that comes to mind. About eighty percent of them don't make the cut, but to date, about one a week has, so that's fine. In any case, coming up with themes poses the overall biggest challenge for me.

What kind of puzzles do you solve every day and which constructors do you find most inspiring?

I solve the early week NYTs, and the LAT daily. And I see (if not solve) the CrosSynergy puzzles as they're being developed, of course. Not being a great solver -- as well as being hooked on KenKen -- that activity represents enough daily solving and puzzling for me. As far as my favorites among constructors is concerned, wow! I'm impressed over and over again by the work of so many constructors, that to start naming them would necessarily do an injustice to those I would have to omit from any list I compiled. I'll just rely on the old saying: "You know who you are."

Besides crosswords, what else do you do for fun?

Principal fun? My wife Jeanne and I have been to 27 states to ride 325 different roller coasters in the past 11 years; that's now our principal hobby together, along with being parents of two and grandparents of two. (All four in Austin, Texas, so we spend some time there, as well.) I go to Vegas twice a year with "the boys," and I've also been going to a certain tournament on the East Coast every winter for several years now. Poker club every two weeks, too. That's about it!

Interview with Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Some of us were impressed by the ICON ARTISTS alternative theme answer HeartRx came up with for the IRATE MOVIES puzzle in early January. Well, it's no accident. She's today's constructor Marti DuGuay-Carpenter.

Marti joined our blog last year, and she has been consistently entertaining us with her astute observations on puzzles and various topics on the blog. Her bubbling personality, sense of humor and caring nature shine through her various posts.

Congratulations on the debut, Marti. We're very proud of and pleased for you!

How does this "Missing Link" theme idea come to you? What are the other theme entries you also considered?

I was reading the news online and came across the headline "Bait and Switch: Online Electronics Store Caught in Fraud". As I was falling asleep that night, I thought it would be really funny if a fishing tackle store got caught changing fishing lures, because that would be a "Bait switch". I played around with other "conjunction" phrases like "fair square", "bits pieces", "short sweet" etc. But it was difficult to come up with ones that would make sense when clued. I finally settled on "Movers Shakers" and "Trial Error". I would have liked to have had more theme entries, but after reading Nancy Salomon's advice on Cruciverb, I decided it was better to have only three solid fills, than to have four or five with a couple "iffy" ones.

Was this puzzle accepted on the first try? Which part of the grid gave you the most trouble while constructing?

When I first submitted the puzzle, Mr Norris had a few minor changes in the mid-west. After I re-did those, he accepted it without any further adjustments. The hardest part of the grid was the SE. I wanted to put a theme unifier "and" in the last spot, but that left me with an awkward " - - - R - A" to fill. I really didn't like ILIAC for the crossing of SIERRA, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and move on (sigh).

Tell us a bit about your background. What do you do for a living and what prompted you to make your first crossword?

My background is in the medical field, and I worked in research for many years. Now I am in biotech, and export medical diagnostic products to Germany and Austria. I guess I am a very analytical person because I love tackling problems, whether its a research hypothesis or a marketing issue. I like setting challenging goals for myself, just to see if I can meet them. So in July of 2010 I decided to try my hand at constructing crosswords. I found out that it is a very different experience to construct than it is to solve. The left side of the brain is dominant for me when solving or actually filling the grid. But the right side definitely comes into the forefront when thinking of themes and cluing the puzzle.

How long have you been solving crosswords? Which constructors often inspire you?

I have been solving puzzles for over 45 years, and can't get enough. I always enjoyed ones by the late Dan Naddor, but Gail Grabowski, Barry Silk and Don (Hard G) Gagliardo are at the top of the list, too. For some reason, I can always relate to their sense of humor. But it's their tight themes, cleverness and sparkling fill that always makes me want more.

How does participating in our blog influence the way you develop clues/design a grid?

This blog has had a great impact on the way I look at crosswords. I will re-work entire sections of a grid just to get rid of the dreaded "e-" word (like e-tail, e-zine, e-date, e-tc). But it is the regulars who do the daily write-ups that really make me think about how I create a theme or fill the grid. You guys are quite brilliant when it comes to "de-structing" a puzzle, and making sense of it. So I always have to run my puzzles by you "in my head", to try to figure out how you would look at a particular entry or theme. If it passes that test with a positive answer, then I'm pretty sure it will be a good one.

Besides crossword, what else do you do for fun?

The best fun in life is just being able to enjoy it. I am a breast cancer survivor, so every new day is a gift, and I try to remember to say "Thank you" for each one. Most of my hobbies involve the outdoors: Skiing, golfing, kayaking, hiking, biking and gardening. But I also love to read, and have belonged to the same book club for more than five years. It's always interesting to hear other people's views on the current book, and that makes it a much more absorbing experience than if I just read for my own pleasure. And I never know when a word or idea might lead to a new puzzle!

Interview with Victor Fleming

Those who watched the crossword documentary "Wordplay" are probably familiar with the below lines:

"If you don't come across I'm gonna be down/ If you don't come across I'm gonna be down/ Your love to me is a mystery and the clues are all around / If you don't come across I'm gonna be down..." (Full lyrics here). The song was composed by today's constructor Victor Fleming.

Mr. Fleming started constructing crosswords regularly for various newspapers in 2004. Since then, his puzzles have appeared in LA Times, NY Times (total 26 puzzles), NY Sun, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Games magazine, etc.

I learned that you are a district judge in Little Rock. How did you get into crossword construction and how does your law background influence your puzzle style?

I’ve been solving crosswords since the age of 12, but I’ve played word games and made up puzzles and mazes for as long as I can remember. In 2003, I set a goal of publishing crosswords. After several rejection notes, I found two mentors, Peter Abide and Nelson Hardy. With these experienced constructors’ help, I learned what I was doing wrong, fixed that and have been published regularly since 2004. Given choices among various fill selections and various clues, I seem to gravitate toward legal stuff, though I try to balance that out.

You appeared in "Wordplay", which also featured a song you wrote. How was the movie experience and how did it affect your life?

The “Wordplay” experience was serendipitous and fun. I’d written a song to perform as part of a humor routine at the 2005 ACPT, the first one that I’d ever attended. Turned out that was the year that Patrick Creadon and Christine O’Malley were shooting footage for a documentary about crosswords. They met me, learned what I was up to and filmed Stella Daily, Ben Tausig and me rehearsing the song, “If You Don’t Come Across, I’m Gonna Be Down.” They liked it, left me and the song in the film and then licensed the song for the closing credits. I went to premieres of the film at the Sundance Film Festival and in New York, Chicago, Little Rock, Jackson (Miss.) and Fayetteville (Ark.). I had a blast.

What is the highlight of your construction career and what is the best puzzle you've made? Why?

There’ve been many highlights. The first and second puzzles published by the New York Times stand out because there was a 14-month turnaround for the first and a 14-day turnaround for the second, and they were published 5 weeks apart. My first puzzle accepted by Rich Norris at LAT stands out as well, because he really liked a theme that some people around me had not been complimentary of. The best puzzle, I suppose, was one in a Simon & Schuster book that Bruce Venzke and I did, called “You Be the Judge.” In it, the two words across the center were OBJECTION ?????????, and the missing letters could spell SUSTAINED or OVERRULED, as the crossing clues would support both.

You seem to be fond of collaborating with other constructors, how is it different from your own individual effort?

Dialoguing about puzzles is fun and educational. I made puzzles with my mentors. I’ve made puzzles with most of the people whom I’ve mentored. And I have made puzzles with a lot of different people who have just become friends. It typically begins with one or the other person starting a dialogue, as innocuous as “What do you think of this?” or as serious as “I’ve got something really good here and I’m stuck.”

When does the crossword muse normally visit you? And what kind of books/magazines/websites do you read for theme inspirations?

My muse is more like a drunken sailor than a sweet little fairy princess. For me, making puzzles is work. And late at night is when I pursue the activity. I dig through quote books and sites. I spend a lot of time at onelook.com. I pluck ideas from the newspaper and from magazines that I read and from contemporary and not-so-contemporary literature that I read.

What kind of puzzle do you solve every day? And who are your favorite constructors?

I solve the L.A. Times, New York Times and CrosSynery puzzles every day. My favorite constructors are - well, I made a list and there were 40 people on it, and I am bound to have left out someone. So, please excuse me on this request. I admire different people for different talents that they demonstrate in the cruciverbalism.

Interview with Harvey Estes

Many of us were awed by Harvey Estes' May 30 "Divided Countries" puzzle, in which eight country names are divided and span across mostly two word phrases, and each country is individually placed in the grid as well.

Harvey is one of the top constructors in the country. He has had 116 puzzles published by NY Times alone, making him the 8th most prolific NYT constructor of all times.

Additionally, Harvey's work has also appeared in CroSynergy, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NY Sun, Games Magazine, etc. He's also one of the contributors to The Crosswords Club, edited by Rich Norris.

Hope you enjoy this insightful, informative and fun-filled interview.

I liked that the unifier OUTER CLOTHES is positioned at the very heart of the grid crossing each other & the pinwheel layout of the other four theme answers. Is this the grid you had in mind immediately after you had the theme set ready or did you also try several other grid alternatives and then picked the best?

Actually, placing OUTER CLOTHES at the center was Rich's idea. I had titled the puzzle "Outer Garments" (just to give it a name when we discussed it) and I had S(COWL) at the center of the grid. Rich's approach was better, so we went with it.

What kind of troubles did you go through to finesse the grid?

The main problem was finding theme entries that would fit symmetrically into the grid. Once that was settled the grid wasn't so hard. The theme is always the hardest thing. Once I get that nailed down, I can usually hammer out a fill for it. A 15x15 grid is a small place. I tell all the interesting words and phrases, "You can run, but you can't hide" ... okay, that's just constructor bravado, but it's a fun thing to say whether it's true or not.

Who introduced crosswords to you and how did you get into crossword construction?

My dad always worked crosswords when I was a kid, so I grew up around them. Later on I got interested in cryptic crosswords via Games magazine and the first puzzles I constructed were cryptics. They're still my favorite, but the market is so small I don't get to do them much. In the early '90s Stanley Newman offered a correspondence course in crossword construction, so I took it and that led to my first puzzle being published with Newsday. That got me started in crosswords as a hobby, but over the years it has gradually become a full-time job.

You have lots of puzzles published by NY Times, LA Times, NY Sun, etc. How do you describe your style? What kind of themes/fill appeal to you? And what are the kind that you try to avoid?

I like pun themes the best, but they're hard to do, and sometimes it's tricky to sell an editor on a theme. What works and what doesn't is pretty subjective. You hate to see hours and hours of work go down the drain because of disagreements about consistency with an idea that's deliberately nonsense in the first place. So I do more straightforward themes than I used to. In my fills I like to work in phrases as much as possible, because I think they're usually more interesting. I also like to think I get pretty clean fills but I guess most constructors think that about their own work. Each individual has a different opinion about which less desirable words can be tolerated and which can't, so that's another call that's very subjective. I can't think of a theme type that I try to avoid. I'll try anything once, cruciverbally. A while back I saw an article in which an editor said he really hated a particular theme because he had seen it so many times and hoped never to see it again. So I immediately got to work on a puzzle that used the theme but, hopefully, put a twist on it to make it more interesting. I sent it to a different editor, though.

Where do you normally find your construction muse? What books/magazines/website do you read for theme inspirations?

I used to go to Barnes & Noble a lot; sitting and reading and listening to the soft music would often get me going. Then they changed the music from instrumental to mostly vocal and now it's like reading with an annoying person trying to talk to you. I should sue them. But mostly the muse lives wherever people use language. Watching TV, reading the paper, making small talk, you never know when a phrase will stick in the mind and start tugging at you, whispering, "There's a theme here, there's a theme here ..." I guess the trick is to find the places and situations that help your mind to become receptive to new ideas.

What kind of references tools do you use for crossword construction and clue accuracy check?

I dunno, I guess all the usual suspects. I hate to admit it, but if I'm worried about accuracy, I often just retreat to a safer clue. Life is too short to spend hours researching one clue out of 144.

What is the highlight of your construction career and what is the puzzle you are most proud of?

These days I don't think there are any highlights; I just enjoy the day-to-day life of making puzzles. A crossword well-done is its own reward. I used to think, if I could just get a puzzle in this venue or that, then I will have arrived. But every venue has some good puzzles, some not so good. Who knows, maybe an editor used one of my puzzles and thought it was so-so, but, what the heck, the deadline was bearing down. Years ago when she was working with Dell, Nancy Schuster said to me, "You know, I don't love every single puzzle that I publish." Remembering that puts things in perspective for me. I'm just making crosswords, not working on a cure for cancer. So that makes my favorite puzzle the one I'm working on now. Unless it really sucks. In which I case, I just use it to vacuum the carpet. But if I had to pick favorite puzzles, I have two candidates. Both were turned down by almost every editor a knew. Finally CROSSW RD magazine printed the one with the jokes about cannibals and a health magazine printed the one with the bran muffin joke. Both magazines later went out of business, so I guess that makes me the Terminator.

What puzzles do you solve every day and who are you favorite constructors?

I don't solve much. Constructing puzzles takes a lot of time, and more importantly, it's a lot more fun (not to mention that it pays the bills). I construct full-time, so solving can seem like working on my day off. Anyway, I'm too critical. I look at someone else's puzzle and think, "Well, I wouldn't have done it that way ..." and then I remind myself that the constructor could just as easily say the same thing about one of my puzzles. Everybody has his or her own style. So I don't really have a favorite constructor. If I'm solving a puzzle and I like it, then that constructor is my favorite for the moment. I guess that makes me a Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young solver: love the one you're with.

Besides crosswords, what else do you do for fun?

I like working with music. I play guitar and bass and sing a little for the contemporary service at church, along with doing music with children, at a nursing home, parties, and for whoever else has less demanding standards and questionable taste.