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Constructor value

Amount each constructor's Modern Era contribution would be worth at today's prices

Note: this is not what constructors have been paid. It's what they would have been paid if today's prices had been offered throughout their career.

There are several problems with this calculation: only puzzles from the Modern Era are considered here (back to 1993), Variety contributions (acrostic, diagramless, cryptic, etc.) are not included, and the payment amounts have varied over time. For example, the payment for daily puzzles increased from $200 to $300 on January 20, 2014, but the calculations here assume each daily is worth $500.

Payments for collaboration puzzles are assumed to be split evenly among the listed constructors.
Only constructors valued at least $4,000 are displayed here.

Current pay rates:
Daily:$500
Sunday:$1,500
Update:

As of January 1, 2017, the New York Times started paying higher rates for constructors who had ten or more previously published NYT puzzles. Daily pay went from $300 to $360, and Sunday from $1,000 to $1,200. These changes are not reflected in the calculations below.

RankNameCountSoloCollabSun.Value
1.Patrick Berry 227225274$187,000
2.Elizabeth C. Gorski 219219067$176,500
3.Manny Nosowsky 246244229$151,000
4.David J. Kahn 190185544$135,750
5.Brendan Emmett Quigley 1781572139$121,750
6.Rich Norris 189189018$112,500
7.Randolph Ross 115115050$107,500
8.Joe DiPietro 138137131$99,750
9.Nancy Salomon 1856911636$85,750
10.Alan Arbesfeld 123123023$84,500
11.Cathy Allis 8484040$82,000
12.Jeff Chen 1624711544$80,250
13.Richard Silvestri 8484026$68,000
14.Patrick Merrell 9189222$67,000
Fred Piscop 106106014$67,000
16.Peter A. Collins 121107147$63,500
Peter Gordon 10910909$63,500
18.Harvey Estes 116714520$60,250
19.Byron Walden 101861514$58,250
20.Gregory E. Paul 11611600$58,000
21.Nancy Nicholson Joline 4847134$57,250
22.David Steinberg 110882210$57,167
23.Lynn Lempel 1009824$53,500
24.Paula Gamache 898548$51,000
25.Frank Longo 6967215$49,000
26.Joel Fagliano 6557818$47,000
Barry C. Silk 928663$47,000
28.Jim Page 7070010$45,000
29.Joe Krozel 8772154$43,250
30.Matt Gaffney 5857114$42,750
31.Will Nediger 52371523$42,250
32.Robert H. Wolfe 6060011$41,000
33.Zhouqin Burnikel 8258246$39,500
34.A. J. Santora 686805$39,000
35.Bob Klahn 60501013$38,500
36.Martin Ashwood-Smith 8070100$37,500
37.Erik Agard 80384211$37,083
38.Frances Hansen 4040017$37,000
Randall J. Hartman 747400$37,000
Tom McCoy 3636019$37,000
41.Matt Ginsberg 4639717$35,750
42.Timothy Polin 555328$35,000
43.Eric Berlin 4239314$33,750
44.Patrick Blindauer 59372214$33,500
45.Andrea Carla Michaels 8831577$33,250
46.Mark Diehl 666331$32,750
Bruce Haight 635673$32,750
48.Ian Livengood 555146$32,500
49.Kevin G. Der 4239312$31,750
50.Trip Payne 4342110$31,250
51.Alex Eaton-Salners 535035$30,750
52.Jeremy Newton 2824419$30,000
53.Ross Trudeau 54332110$29,750
54.Charles M. Deber 2020019$29,000
55.Sam Ezersky 473898$28,750
56.Ed Early 535211$26,750
Mike Nothnagel 504554$26,750
58.Robyn Weintraub 515101$26,500
59.Sherry O. Blackard 534851$26,250
60.Edward Sessa 444404$26,000
Michael Shteyman 514563$26,000
62.Samuel A. Donaldson 40291110$25,750
Sarah Keller 535030$25,750
64.Natan Last 4131108$25,500
Dan Schoenholz 2929011$25,500
66.Caleb Madison 353239$25,250
67.Tracy Gray 37271012$25,000
Damon J. Gulczynski 484801$25,000
Sidney L. Robbins 505000$25,000
70.Wayne Robert Williams 383804$23,000
71.Peter Wentz 404002$22,000
72.Victor Fleming 4722257$21,750
Brad Wilber 6027330$21,750
74.Doug Peterson 5519366$21,500
75.Trenton Charlson 373613$21,250
76.Gary Cee 404001$21,000
Chuck Deodene 424200$21,000
Jacob Stulberg 343404$21,000
79.Tony Orbach 27121517$20,250
80.David Levinson Wilk 262607$20,000
81.Richard Hughes 353502$19,500
Allan E. Parrish 393900$19,500
Bob Peoples 393363$19,500
Bryant White 292905$19,500
85.David Quarfoot 413471$19,250
86.John Farmer 333302$18,500
Henry Hook 252506$18,500
88.John Guzzetta 403191$18,250
Finn Vigeland 2116510$18,250
90.Stephanie Spadaccini 363600$18,000
Sam Trabucco 262605$18,000
92.Dana Motley 313102$17,500
Adam Wagner 261978$17,500
94.Richard Chisholm 323201$17,000
95.Christina Iverson 3382511$16,750
96.Daniel A. Finan 151509$16,500
Greg Staples 252504$16,500
98.Tim Croce 333210$16,250
Raymond Hamel 272613$16,250
Jonathan Schmalzbach 313011$16,250
101.Paolo Pasco 2717105$16,000
Adam G. Perl 303001$16,000
Karen M. Tracey 323200$16,000
104.John Kugelman 1211110$15,750
105.Ryan McCarty 302821$15,500
Dean Niles 151508$15,500
Andrew Ries 262423$15,500
108.Ashish Vengsarkar 191458$15,250
109.Julian Lim 262602$15,000
Derrick Niederman 1010010$15,000
111.David Kwong 241955$14,750
Matthew Stock 309218$14,750
Bill Zais 1510510$14,750
114.Janet R. Bender 272701$14,500
115.Victor Barocas 2010109$14,000
Josh Knapp 242402$14,000
Michael Schlossberg 141407$14,000
118.Kevan Choset 272432$13,750
joon pahk 251874$13,750
120.Joe Deeney 232302$13,500
Brandon Koppy 212103$13,500
122.Ruth B. Margolin 161516$13,250
123.Seth A. Abel 141406$13,000
Mary Lou Guizzo 2913163$13,000
Nancy Kavanaugh 262600$13,000
Nancy S. Ross 222202$13,000
127.Sid Sivakumar 181355$12,750
Ned White 252411$12,750
129.Michael Ashley 111107$12,500
Andy Kravis 2610165$12,500
Stanley Newman 232301$12,500
Lou Sabin 293267$12,500
Michael Torch 191903$12,500
134.Nelson Hardy 111017$12,250
Michael Lieberman 211744$12,250
136.Myles Callum 222201$12,000
Con Pederson 8808$12,000
Andrew Zhou 181803$12,000
139.Rebecca Goldstein 2211116$11,750
Tyler Hinman 221752$11,750
Michael S. Maurer 191633$11,750
Mel Rosen 141315$11,750
143.Kameron Austin Collins 242220$11,500
Kristian House 222021$11,500
Martin Schneider 131305$11,500
146.Emily Carroll 191812$11,250
Todd Gross 181354$11,250
Carolyn W. Stewart 212011$11,250
Alex Vratsanos 191633$11,250
150.Gerald R. Ferguson 222200$11,000
Alex K. Justin 141404$11,000
Jules P. Markey 222200$11,000
Randy Sowell 222200$11,000
154.Jim Hyres 212011$10,750
Kyle Mahowald 181712$10,750
James Mulhern 251870$10,750
Pete Muller 181176$10,750
David Phillips 201911$10,750
Simeon Seigel 181712$10,750
160.Daniel C. Bryant 9906$10,500
Rand H. Burns 212100$10,500
Michael Hawkins 241681$10,500
Andrew Kingsley 231581$10,500
David Woolf 171702$10,500
165.Lee Glickstein 253226$10,000
Bernice Gordon 211920$10,000
Oliver Hill 161423$10,000
168.Aimee Lucido 181353$9,750
169.Adam Cohen 191900$9,500
Kyle T. Dolan 171701$9,500
Olivia Mitra Framke 121024$9,500
Evan Kalish 191721$9,500
Daniel Raymon 171701$9,500
Norma Steinberg 171701$9,500
Grant Thackray 131303$9,500
Jeffrey Wechsler 191900$9,500
177.Freddie Cheng 171611$9,250
Craig Kasper 151054$9,250
John Lieb 201371$9,250
Dave Tuller 141133$9,250
181.Yaakov Bendavid 6606$9,000
Kelsey Blakley 8805$9,000
Ernie Furtado 121203$9,000
Katie Hale 11389$9,000
Barbara Lin 171521$9,000
Gilbert H. Ludwig 181800$9,000
Rafael Musa 196135$9,000
Lois Sidway 181800$9,000
Norman S. Wizer 141402$9,000
190.Caitlin Reid 16973$8,750
Fran Sabin 250255$8,750
192.Karen Young Bonin 111103$8,500
Mark Feldman 111103$8,500
Susan Gelfand 171700$8,500
Charles E. Gersch 171700$8,500
Jim Hilger 151501$8,500
Roy Leban 131302$8,500
Robert Malinow 9904$8,500
Thomas W. Schier 171700$8,500
200.Howard Barkin 121023$8,000
Robert Dillman 161600$8,000
Adam Fromm 8804$8,000
Kate Hawkins 171520$8,000
Patrick Jordan 161600$8,000
Laura Taylor Kinnel 6605$8,000
Daniel R. Stark 161600$8,000
Ben Tausig 9725$8,000
Arthur S. Verdesca 141401$8,000
John Wolting 141401$8,000
210.Daniel Bodily 14953$7,750
211.Holden Baker 161420$7,500
Kelly Clark 151411$7,500
Ethan Cooper 151321$7,500
Robert W. Harris 7704$7,500
William I. Johnston 151500$7,500
Pamela Amick Klawitter 7704$7,500
John Lampkin 111102$7,500
Elizabeth A. Long 131301$7,500
Gene Newman 151500$7,500
Merl Reagle 7704$7,500
Matthew Sewell 121022$7,500
Gary J. Whitehead 151500$7,500
Brad Wiegmann 9903$7,500
Stella Zawistowski 217141$7,500
225.Gareth Bain 151320$7,000
Garrett Chalfin 10643$7,000
Jason Flinn 141400$7,000
John Greenman 121201$7,000
Frederick J. Healy 141400$7,000
John Underwood 141400$7,000
Michael Vuolo 141400$7,000
232.Kevin Christian 198110$6,750
Francis Heaney 10733$6,750
Christopher Hurt 111012$6,750
Adrian Johnson 121111$6,750
Todd McClary 121111$6,750
237.Mike Buckley 131300$6,500
Chandi Deitmer 8266$6,500
Brooke Husic 213181$6,500
Alfio Micci 111101$6,500
Stu Ockman 131300$6,500
Tom Pepper 16881$6,500
Jim Peredo 9902$6,500
Mark Elliot Skolsky 131300$6,500
Xan Vongsathorn 9902$6,500
John Westwig 9902$6,500
247.Adam Aaronson 161060$6,417
248.Daniel Grinberg 8713$6,250
249.Andrew Chaikin 4404$6,000
Ella Dershowitz 12842$6,000
Roland Huget 121200$6,000
Rich Katz 6424$6,000
David Liben-Nowell 13941$6,000
Hal Moore 101001$6,000
Alan Olschwang 101001$6,000
Bruce Venzke 191182$6,000
Robert Zimmerman 121200$6,000
258.Tracy Bennett 7613$5,750
Sam Buchbinder 121110$5,750
Neville Fogarty 12931$5,750
Evan Mahnken 111011$5,750
Rich Proulx 10911$5,750
Brian Thomas 14950$5,750
264.Alex Bajcz 7702$5,500
Sheldon Benardo 111100$5,500
John R. Conrad 111100$5,500
Paul Coulter 7702$5,500
Gail Grabowski 13940$5,500
Wyna Liu 9363$5,500
Kurt Mueller 7702$5,500
Mike Shenk 7702$5,500
Hoang-Kim Vu 12661$5,500
273.Peter Abide 8712$5,250
Ori Brian 9811$5,250
Trent H. Evans 111010$5,250
Gary Larson 9632$5,250
Jeffrey Martinovic 10552$5,250
Jacob McDermott 111010$5,250
279.Christopher Adams 8622$5,000
Ashton Anderson 14680$5,000
Kareem Ayas 6602$5,000
Diane C. Baldwin 8801$5,000
Bill Ballard 101000$5,000
Alex Boisvert 11920$5,000
Eric Bornstein 11920$5,000
Derek Bowman 10641$5,000
Shannon Burns 101000$5,000
Mark Danna 6602$5,000
Jake Halperin 101000$5,000
Paul Hunsberger 8801$5,000
Daniel Larsen 11920$5,000
James R. Leeds 8801$5,000
Eileen Lexau 101000$5,000
Stephen McCarthy 4403$5,000
Lewis Rothlein 10642$5,000
Susan Harrington Smith 101000$5,000
Mel Taub 101000$5,000
Lee Taylor 6602$5,000
Bill Thompson 101000$5,000
David W. Tuffs 6602$5,000
Kathy Wienberg 8801$5,000
Leonard Williams 8801$5,000
303.Milo Beckman 10910$4,750
Billy Bratton 10910$4,750
John Ewbank 6512$4,750
Daniel Kantor 13670$4,750
Jerry Miccolis 4313$4,750
308.Enrique Henestroza Anguiano 9721$4,500
Michael Blake 144100$4,500
Dan Caprera 9900$4,500
Ricky Cruz 8621$4,500
Joel Davajan 7701$4,500
Levi Denham 10820$4,500
Alan DerKazarian 5502$4,500
Michael J. Doran 7701$4,500
Don Gagliardo 120123$4,500
R. Max Hopkins 3303$4,500
David Karp 5502$4,500
Christina Houlihan Kelly 9900$4,500
Zachary David Levy 9721$4,500
Daniel Mauer 7701$4,500
Chris A. McGlothlin 7701$4,500
Meghan Morris 5502$4,500
Jean O'Conor 7701$4,500
Lloyd E. Pollet 3303$4,500
David Pringle 9900$4,500
Robert Ryan 3303$4,500
Blake Slonecker 9900$4,500
Gary Steinmehl 9900$4,500
Jeff Stillman 9900$4,500
Stanley B. Whitten 9900$4,500
Joy L. Wouk 9900$4,500
333.John Dunn 8711$4,250
Pawel Fludzinski 7611$4,250
Nick Grivas 9810$4,250
Jay Kaskel 12570$4,250
Ellen Leuschner 9273$4,250
Sophia Maymudes 10372$4,250
Jennifer Nutt 9810$4,250
David Poole 9810$4,250
341.Evan Birnholz 8800$4,000
Lisa Bunker 6601$4,000
Bette Sue Cohen 6601$4,000
Caleb Emmons 6601$4,000
Jesse Goldberg 4402$4,000
Greg Johnson 8800$4,000
Betty Jorgensen 8800$4,000
Steve Kahn 7522$4,000
Hemant Mehta 8800$4,000
Christopher Page 8800$4,000
Michael Paleos 6601$4,000
Glenton Petgrave 8800$4,000
Janice M. Putney 8800$4,000
Corey Rubin 8800$4,000
Dylan Schiff 4402$4,000
Drew Schmenner 6601$4,000
Herre Schouwerwou 8800$4,000
Bob Sefick 8800$4,000
Margaret Seikel 9720$4,000
Yacob Yonas 11560$4,000
Nam Jin Yoon 9720$4,000
Raymond C. Young 8800$4,000
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