Western student celebrates 10th published NYT crossword puzzle

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 19, 2025 1:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

When Jeffrey Martinovic isn't studying oregon playing intramural sports astatine Western University, you tin find him crafting immoderate of the world's champion crossword puzzles.

While the fourth-year engineering pupil has published hundreds of puzzles, the crown jewel is to get a crossword successful the New York Times, thing Martinovic has done 10 times arsenic of Wednesday.

His archetypal accepted puzzle came aft 23 failed submissions, a infinitesimal that came aft overmuch feedback from the Times editor, which helped him refine his craft.

"It was dissimilar thing I'd ever experienced before," said 21-year-old Martinovic. "It came, actually, aft an unusually agelong time of classes. I came location to spot the 24th email I'd ever received from them. The first that was an acceptance."

Nine much acceptance letters later, Martinovic seems to person refined his crossword instauration process, though helium admits each puzzle is antithetic from the last.

"It's overmuch much an creation than a science, but generally, the process goes: you person an idea, you're struck with inspiration for a taxable that you deliberation would marque a bully puzzle. Then you spell done the architecture of figuring retired however to execute your taxable and yet filling successful a afloat grid and penning the clues," helium said.

Wednesday's puzzle was written successful collaboration with chap Western pupil Evan Park.

LISTEN | Western pupil Jeffrey Martinovic connected making world-class crossword puzzles:

Martinovic's passionateness for wordplay began erstwhile his ma introduced him to crosswords astatine the property of 10. Shortly after, helium decided to make his ain puzzles.

"I conscionable had the inkling to effort it. I don't cognize what it is. Maybe I'm a originative person, and I conscionable figured if idiosyncratic other tin bash it, wherefore can't I," helium said. "Ever since, I've embarked connected a lifelong quest that's yet been achieved to get successful the New York Times."

While helium admits he's amended astatine creating puzzles than solving them, Martinovic offers immoderate tips for puzzle enthusiasts.

"Solving is simply a precise antithetic shot game. I deliberation the biggest hurdle is learning the crossword language. It precise overmuch is benignant of its ain ethos. And successful bid to lick effectively, commencement with a batch of Monday and Tuesday puzzles to physique up a repertoire of crossword words and crossword language."

With aspirations of moving successful the aerospace manufacture aft helium graduates from Western, Martinovic said helium plans to support his crossword creating a hobby truthful it ne'er feels similar a chore. The compensation for getting a puzzle accepted by the New York Times comes with a $500 USD cheque.