How to Create Your Own Crossword Puzzles

You can construct a puzzle without using specialized software.

Countless English speakers worldwide enjoy crossword puzzles as a pastime or fun educational tool. The completely interlocking crosswords found in newspapers and magazines are made using specialized software, but simpler crosswords can be created by hand. Free websites to make these simple crosswords are available, but if you want total control, you can construct the puzzle yourself. Create your own crossword to test vocabulary words, to enliven a newsletter, or just for entertainment.

Things You'll Need

• Blue-lined graph paper
• Fine-tip black pen
• Fine-tip black marker
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Straight edge
• Copy machine
• Optional:
• Word processor with printer
• List of entries (words or phrases) and clues
• Crossword dictionary

Instructions

Construct the Grid

1. Write the longest entry from your list (or any word or phrase of about eight to 16 letters) horizontally in the squares near the middle of a sheet of graph paper, one letter per square, using a pencil with light pressure.

2. Choose another entry that shares a letter with the first entry. Write it vertically so that it intersects the first entry at the shared letter.

3. Continue inserting entries this way, with each entry sharing at least one letter with another entry, always using the pencil. If separate entries are in a line, they should be separated by at least one empty square. Continue until you have used your entire list or the puzzle has reached the size you want.

Make it Printable

1. Outline the square around each letter in marker, tracing the grid lines with the straight edge. Black out any empty single squares. Blacking out blocks of multiple empty squares is optional and works best if all such blocks are small.

2. Number the first letter of each entry in the grid, both across and down, using the fine-tip pen. Start with number 1 at the top row of the grid and from left to right,. At the end of each row, move to the next row, always working from left to right. Some numbers will apply to both an across and a down entry.

3. Create the clue lists on a separate sheet of graph paper (or, optionally, typed on a word processor). First list the "Across" clues in order, then the "Down" clues, labeling each of these two lists. If you numbered the grid correctly, some numbers will be skipped in one list or the other, while others will be used in both lists, but no number will be skipped.

4. Make a copy of the grid. If the answers are not legible in the copy, trace them with the pen to make them easy to read. This is the answer key.

5. Erase the letters in the original of the grid. Make a photocopy of the original of the grid, adjusting the settings so that the blue lines of the graph paper do not show up, but the grid lines and numbers are clear. You now have the three elements of your crossword: the solving grid, the clue lists, and the answer key.

Tips & Warnings

• Entries ideally should have at least three letters.

Resources

• American Crossword Association website, with many resources for puzzle creators