Constructing Crosswords: Themes

Why? | Types | Process, Conventions | Guidelines | Examples | Fresh?

Why?

  • "Discovering a crossword's theme is...
  • "Crosswords, like any art,...
  • Themes are often playful, and add another layer of depth to solve: a puzzle within a puzzle
  • With consistent theme entries, figuring out one or two can help the solver solve the other theme entries.

Theme Types

  • (link is external)Wikipedia: "Many American crossword puzzles contain a 'theme' consisting of a number
    of long entries (generally 3-5 in a standard 15x15-square 'weekday'-size puzzle)
    that share some relationship, type of pun, or other element in common.
  • Examples:
  • Category theme: theme elements are all members of the same set
  • e.g., five themed entries ending in the different parts of a tree: (NYT 4/26/2005)
    SQUARE ROOT, TABLE LEAF, WARDROBE TRUNK, BRAIN STEM, BANK BRANCH
  • Quote themes, featuring a famous quote broken up into parts
    to fit in the grid (and usually clued as 'Quote, part 1',...);
  • Rebus themes, where multiple letters or even symbols
    occupy a single square in the puzzle (e.g., BERMUDA Δ);
  • Addition themes, where theme entries are created by adding
    a letter, letters, or word(s) to an existing word or phrase.
  • e.g., "Crucial pool shot?" = CRITICAL MASSE
    (formed by taking the phrase "critical mass" and adding an "e" on the end.
    All the theme entries in a given puzzle must be formed by the same process
    (so another entry might be "Greco-Roman buddy?" = WRESTLING MATE
    -- "wrestling mat" with an "e" added on). An example of a multiple-letter
    addition (and one that does not occur at the end of the entry) might be
    "Crazy about kitchen storage?" = CABINET FEVER (derived from "cabin fever");
  • Subtraction themes, the reverse of the above,
    where letters are removed to make a new word or phrase;
  • Compound themes, where the starts or ends of the
    theme entries can all precede or follow another word,
    which is given elsewhere in the puzzle.
  • e.g., a puzzle with theme entries that begin with
    PAPER, BALL, and WATER and elsewhere in the puzzle,
    the word BOY clued as "Word that can follow the start of [theme entries]";
  • Anniversary or tribute themes, commemorating a specific person, place, or event.
  • e.g., the NYT 10/7/2011 crossword commemorated the life of
    Apple CEO Steve Jobs who had died on October 5. Theme entries related to Jobs' life included
    MACINTOSH, PIXAR, THINK DIFFERENT, CREATIVE GENIUS, STEVE JOBS, and APPLE.
  • Synonym themes, where the theme entries all contain synonyms
  • e.g., a Los Angeles Times puzzle featuring a set of theme entries that contain
    the words RAVEN, JET, EBONY, and SABLE, all synonyms for "black"
  • Numerous other types have been identified, including spoonerisms, poems,
    shifted letters, rhyming phrases, puns, homophones, and
    combinations of two or more of other types of themes."
  • (link is external)cruciverb.com: List of theme categories and examples: Additions; Alliterations;
    Anagram / Scramble; Antonyms; Bookends; Category Members; Combined Types;
    Complete The Clue; Compounds; Containers (hidden); Definitions; Deletions;
    Designated Squares; Direction change; Double/Triple Letters; Featured Letter(s);
    Grid design; Holidays and Special Occasions; Homophones; Jokes / Riddles;
    Language / Accent; Mini theme; Pairs / Triplets / nTuplets; Palindromes; Positional;
    Proper Name Play; Punchlines; Puns; Quips and Quotes; Rebus; Redivision; Repetition;
    Reversals; Rhyme; Sequence; Shared Centers; Shared Initials; Shift; Spoonerisms;
    Stacked 15s; String / Chain; Substitutions; Switch; Synonyms; Tribute; 4Verse
  • "Meta" crosswords were around long before FaceBook discovered and co-opted the term.
  • "Crossword metapuzzles are crosswords that, when correctly solved,
    provide the basis for a second puzzle." ~ (link is external)Wikipedia: Metapuzzle
  • "Meta puzzles (also sometimes called contest puzzles) are crossword puzzles with an extra challenge.
    First, the grid is filled out like any other crossword puzzle.
    Afterwards, there is a prompt asking the solver for the solution to the meta.
    The prompt might ask for a 5-letter word, or for a word in a specific category, or anything else!
    To figure out the solution the solver needs to look for hints in the puzzle's clues, entries, grid layout,
    title, or anywhere else a devious constructor might have hidden them." ~(link is external)Crosshare
  • See section: CROSSWORDS: Terminology & Types: meta

Process / Conventions

  • Generate prioritized list of possible phrases/words
  • How to find initial theme entry? Reading, noticing, listening, ...
  • How to find other theme possibilities? How are they similar?
    e.g., match a pattern (?*) in online dictionaries, e.g.: (link is external)XWordInfo.com/Finder, (link is external)OneLook.com
  • # theme entries: 4-5? total theme letters/squares: 40-50? -- for 15 x 15
  • (link is external)Why the LA Times Won't Accept Your Three-Entry Theme
    (and Why You Should Make the Puzzle Anyways)     8/11/2021
  • Generally, theme entries are the longest entries, paired by length; minimum 40 letters total
  • If the entries contain a natural sequence, editors might expect them to occur in that order from top to bottom.
  • Draft initial clues to ensure consistency of the theme entries.
  • Option: place additional (unmatched) odd-length theme entry in center?
  • Option: use a 'payoff' or 'reveal' entry (often last, or sometimes center entry)
    -- and/or a title -- to explain/suggest the theme?

Guidelines

  • Some publishers allow a query containing only theme entries and clues for (hopefully) early feedback;
    with encouragement, continue with your efforts for a full puzzle; with rejection, rework or discard theme.
  • Check (link is external)Crossword Publication Specs for guidance, e.g.
  • (link is external)NYT: "Themes should be fresh, interesting, narrowly defined and consistently applied throughout the puzzle.
    For example, if the theme includes a particular kind of pun, then all the puns should be of that kind.
    Themes and theme entries should be accessible to everyone.
    We generally prefer puzzles with playful themes rather than straightforward subjects."
  • (link is external)LAT: "consistent and narrowly defined; We do not have titles on our daily puzzles, so the themes
    must be self-evident or tied together with an in-grid entry that acts as a reveal to sum up the gimmick.
    Puzzles should have at least 40 theme squares; four or more theme entries is ideal,
    but three 15s may be acceptable."
  • (link is external)WSJ: "entertaining theme, tightly defined and consistently executed"
  • (link is external)Univ.: "All Universal Crossword themes should have some element of wordplay.
    Every theme should also have a reason for doing what it’s doing.
    This reason should be described by either a title, a revealer, or both.
    For a 15x15, longer theme answers are preferred, but 7 letters is the standard minimum length.
    For a 21x21, it’s preferable for some answers to be 16+-letters long.
    Most of our 15x15s have 4-5 theme answers, and most of our 21x21s have 6-9 theme answers.
    Puzzles with fewer theme answers should have longer ones.
    21x21 puzzles have to entertain solvers for longer,
    so a theme we like as a 15x15 may not be as exciting to us as a 21x21.
    More specifically, if the joke starts feeling stale after a few examples or only a few
    of the examples are really solid, then we’d probably prefer the theme as a daily.
    Themes should be executed consistently, and none of the theme answers should feel like outliers.

    Here are some examples of what we mean:
    Do not mix add-a-letter and change-a-letter theme answers (e.g., BRAIN SHOWER and MIND SWEEPER,
    where the former adds the letter “b” and the latter changes an “e” to a “d”).
    For a theme based on word pronunciations, be mindful of consistency of both sound and spelling.
    For example, if a theme adds the letters PI to each theme answer and hinges around words
    being pronounced like “pie,” there shouldn’t be any examples where the PI is pronounced like “pea.”
    For puzzles whose theme answers hide words or anagrams,
    we prefer when those words are 4+-letters long and span word breaks.
    For bookend themes, we also prefer when the words are 4+-letters long,
    and we also like it when the bookended words can only split in one way.
    Yes: AIRPLANE TICKET hides the long word “planet” across a word break.
    Yes: PHILOSOPHERS STONE has the word “phone” as a bookend.
    No: BRAINWASH hides the word “rain,” but it isn’t across a word break.
    No: START A WAR has the word “star” as a bookend, but “star” is also hidden straight in the answer
    STAND CLEAR has the word “star” as a bookend but “star” can be split in more ways than one.
    This is not always a dealbreaker, but it’s unideal.
    For themes where all theme answers start or end with a synonym for something,
    we want the synonyms to change meaning and be separate words within their theme answers.
    For example, if all the theme answers start with animals, we’d be more excited by the
    theme answer BEAR DOWN ON than we would about BEAR SPRAY.

    Themes types that are accepted sparingly:
    “Words that precede or follow X” puzzles (e.g. a puzzle with the reveal BEFOREHAND
    and theme answers like FIRST IMPRESSION and BACK TO THE FUTURE,
    where “first” and “back” can precede “hand” [firsthand and backhand]), unless there’s an additional twist
    Puzzles where every theme answer hides the same word
    List puzzles (e.g., a puzzle whose theme answers are all songs by a certain artist)
    Quote/quip puzzles where a quote is broken up across a handful of theme answers
    Trivia/tribute puzzles that lack an additional layer of wordplay
    Mashup puzzles (e.g., a puzzle with theme answers like BRAINWASHING MACHINE [brainwashing + washing machine])
    Add-a-single-letter/delete-a-single-letter puzzles, unless there’s an additional twist
    Puzzles whose theme answers are nonsensical (e.g., a puzzle with the reveal SKIP A BEAT
    and theme answers like RIX POTTER [where “beat” was deleted from Beatrix Potter])
    “Reverse clue” puzzles whose theme answers aren’t legitimate phrases
    (e.g., a puzzle with theme answers like INTERSECTION SIGN and ORGAN FEATURE, both clued as [Stop])
    Puzzles whose theme answers/clues are either hard to imagine or grammatically unsound.
    This usually applies to puns (e.g., BLUE OUT THE CANDLES, which doesn’t have a cogent cluing angle).
    Themes that scatter circles throughout theme answers (non-consecutive circled letters
    that aren’t bookends) usually aren’t a good fit for Universal"
  • (link is external)Cruciverb: Advice on Making 21 x 21 Puzzles
    Get theme approval from an editor before tackling a grid design or fill.
    21 x 21's are way too difficult to do on spec.
    Bare minimum: 80 theme squares (8 10-letter entries).
    If your entries are all very long (16-21), 5 entries may be enough.
    If most of your theme entries are shorter (say 9-12 letters)
    you want at least 8 entries--I often try for 9.
    When I have several pairs of entries that are 15 letters or longer,
    I sometimes settle for 7 entries or even 6.
    Avoid a single central entry of 17 or 19 letters
  • Theme placement coverered in Grid section.

Examples

Example: NYT (Constructing Article)

  • source: (link is external)NYT: How to Make a Crossword Puzzle, Part 1: Developing the Theme;
    How do puzzle makers get started?
    Keeping an Eye Out for Ideas; Back to the Drawing Board;
    Never Give Up; Now We’re Cooking; Use the Resources, Luke
  • toy phrases? e.g., TRIXIE MATTEL
  • crosswords? puzzles? PUZZLE PIECE
  • types of music? PIECE, RECORD, TRACK, NUMBER, SONG?
  • theme [category]: phrase with person and type of song? entries, with =length & draft clues
  • PUZZLE PIECE=11: Crossword enthusiast’s favorite song?
  • TENURE TRACK=11: Professor’s favorite song?
  • CALL NUMBER=10: Telemarketer’s favorite song?
  • MACBOOK AIR=10: Genius Bar staffer’s favorite song?
  • Note how the theme entries are paired in length,
    and clues are parallel in structure, mirroring sequence of theme entry.

Example: LAT

  • source: LAT, Thu, 10/17/2019; blogs: (link is external)crosswordfiend.com, (link is external)crosswordcorner.blogspot.com, (link is external)laxcrossword.com
  • theme [category]: phrase with topic and type of magazine article
  • PUZZLE PIECE=11: Article about crosswords?
    -- note: same entry as NYT example above, but LAT 'piece' is an article instead of a song
  • GREEK COLUMN=11: Article about a European language?
  • SAFETY FEATURE=13: Article about life jackets?
  • ICE CREAM SCOOP=13: Article about a dessert?
  • Note how the clues are parallel in structure, but not mirrored,
    e.g., clue first word: "Article" refers to theme last word.

Example: WSJ

  • source: WSJ, Thu, 9/23/2021; blogs: (link is external)crosswordfiend.com
  • title: PUZZLE PIECES
  • a different interpretation of the phrase, i.e., "puzzle" synonyms, in pieces -- entries span across blocks
  • USURP ROB LEMME; YEMENI GMAJOR; POSTUM PERMIT; GRECO NUN DRUMS
  • reveal: TOUGH NUT TO CRACK

Example: Universal

  • source: Univ, Thu, 4/28/2021; blogs: (link is external)crosswordfiend.com
  • title: PUZZLE PIECES
  • a different interpretation of the phrase, i.e., parts of a crossword
  • OFF THE GRID; HAVE YOUR FILL; HEDWIG’S THEME; BLUES CLUES
  • reveal: CROSSWORD SOLVER

Is the Theme Unique -- or 'Fresh'?

  • If you're planning to submit the crossword to a publisher,
    it's important early in the process to find out if the theme has already appeared elsewhere
    (this is not an issue when creating crosswords just for fun, friends or family).
  • The 3 first examples NYT, LAT and WSJ all used a "PUZZLE PIECE" theme
    and even shared the same "reveal" entry or title,
    but the idea, entries and clues were different, i.e., "pieces" = music, articles, fragments.
  • However, if the other entries are almost exactly the same or share the same theme idea,
    a publisher is likely to reject the submission as not fresh enough.
  • With increasingly more crossword venues and imaginative constructors,
    it can be challenging to come up with new themes or interpretations of a theme.
  • A later section revisits this issue, with other examples,
    and offers tips for identifying existing puzzle themes.

Example: NYT (Solving Article)

reagle1Example: NYT (Reagle)

Example: Vuolo

Example: Gaffney

Example: Boisvert

  • source: (link is external)How to construct a crossword puzzle for the New York Times
    Alex Boisvert, Crossword Nexus; video: 9:44; theme: @1:25; 4/23/2013;
  • [quote] (by Dmitri Martin) ?
  • I REMEMBER WHEN=13; I USED TO REALLY BE=15; INTO NOSTALGIA=13
  • "Angels and Demons" [hidden] -- ANGEL or DEMON
  • initial: BRANGELINA=10; MAYA ANGELOU=11; PANDEMONIUM=11; CODE MONKEY=10
  • TANGELO TREE=11; STRANGELY=9; ANGELS AND DEMONS=15; DESDEMONA=9; CLAUDE MONET=11
  • Berry's CCH example "Possessed" (#20) uses hidden DEMON too:
    CLAUDE MONET=11; MADE MONEY=9; SIMON DE MONTFORT=15; DESDEMONA=9; PANDEMONIUM=11

Examples: Misc.

Examples: Steve (alphabetical)

Is the Theme Fresh?