How to Construct a Crossword Puzzle

To create a crossword puzzle, you

  1. select a puzzle topic
  2. select words related to the topic for the puzzle
  3. write a clear, concise clue for each word
  4. layout the words on a blank working grid
  5. number the words and block the grid

o  words are numbered from

·  1 to ? - in ascending sequential order, each number placed in the upper left corner of the rectangle containing the first letter of each word

·  upper left to lower right

o  blocks (filled in rectangles) need to be placed before the first letter, and following the last letter of each word

  1. calculate the size grid you need for the final puzzle by eliminating empty rows and columns from the outside in (see sample)
  2. prepare the final grid and transfer the numbers and blocks to it
  3. add the clues to the final puzzle sheet
  4. prepare a second copy with the letters added to serve as a key


How to Reduce a Grid

The starting grid is 9 x 9. You can see that once the six words are filled in, numbered and blocked, some cells are not needed. There is nothing in the left hand and right hand columns. Therefore we can delete them. The final grid becomes 8 x 9. To convert it from a key to a puzzle, all you need to do is remove the letters and add the clues.

STARTING GRID

1N
1P / U / Z / Z / L / E
M
2B / L / O / 2C / K
E / L
3W / O / R / D / U
A / E
I
T

FINAL GRID (key)

1N
1P / U / Z / Z / L / E
M
2B / L / O / 2C / K
E / L
3W / O / R / D / U
A / E
I
T