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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 116116051$109,000
8.Joe DiPietro 139138131$100,250
9.Nancy Salomon 1856911636$85,750
10.Alan Arbesfeld 123123023$84,500
11.Cathy Allis 8484040$82,000
12.Jeff Chen 1664711944$81,250
13.Richard Silvestri 8484026$68,000
14.Patrick Merrell 9189222$67,000
Fred Piscop 106106014$67,000
16.Peter A. Collins 122108147$64,000
17.Peter Gordon 10910909$63,500
18.Harvey Estes 116714520$60,250
19.Byron Walden 104891514$59,750
20.David Steinberg 111892211$58,667
21.Gregory E. Paul 11611600$58,000
22.Nancy Nicholson Joline 4847134$57,250
23.Lynn Lempel 10210024$54,500
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 8459256$40,250
34.A. J. Santora 686805$39,000
35.Bob Klahn 60501013$38,500
36.Erik Agard 83404311$38,333
37.Martin Ashwood-Smith 8070100$37,500
38.Frances Hansen 4040017$37,000
Randall J. Hartman 747400$37,000
Tom McCoy 3636019$37,000
41.Matt Ginsberg 4639717$35,750
42.Mark Diehl 696632$35,250
43.Timothy Polin 555328$35,000
44.Andrea Carla Michaels 9331627$34,500
45.Eric Berlin 4239314$33,750
Alex Eaton-Salners 555237$33,750
47.Patrick Blindauer 59372214$33,500
48.Ian Livengood 565246$33,000
49.Bruce Haight 635673$32,750
50.Jeremy Newton 3127420$32,500
51.Kevin G. Der 4239312$31,750
Sam Ezersky 514299$31,750
53.Trip Payne 4342110$31,250
54.Ross Trudeau 54332110$29,750
55.Charles M. Deber 2020019$29,000
56.Samuel A. Donaldson 41301111$27,250
57.Natan Last 4232109$27,000
Robyn Weintraub 525201$27,000
59.Ed Early 535211$26,750
Mike Nothnagel 504554$26,750
61.Sherry O. Blackard 534851$26,250
62.Edward Sessa 444404$26,000
Michael Shteyman 514563$26,000
64.Sarah Keller 535030$25,750
65.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.Trenton Charlson 383714$22,750
72.Doug Peterson 5719387$22,500
73.John Kugelman 2015515$22,250
74.Peter Wentz 404002$22,000
75.Victor Fleming 4722257$21,750
Brad Wilber 6027330$21,750
77.Gary Cee 414101$21,500
Jacob Stulberg 353504$21,500
79.Chuck Deodene 424200$21,000
80.Adam Wagner 32221010$20,750
81.Tony Orbach 27121517$20,250
82.David Levinson Wilk 262607$20,000
83.Richard Hughes 353502$19,500
Allan E. Parrish 393900$19,500
Bob Peoples 393363$19,500
Bryant White 292905$19,500
87.David Quarfoot 413471$19,250
88.John Guzzetta 4232101$19,000
89.Christina Iverson 4093111$18,750
90.John Farmer 333302$18,500
Henry Hook 252506$18,500
92.Finn Vigeland 2116510$18,250
93.Derrick Niederman 1212012$18,000
Stephanie Spadaccini 363600$18,000
Sam Trabucco 262605$18,000
96.Michael Schlossberg 1716110$17,750
97.Dana Motley 313102$17,500
98.Richard Chisholm 323201$17,000
99.Michael Lieberman 262067$16,750
100.Daniel A. Finan 151509$16,500
Greg Staples 252504$16,500
102.Tim Croce 333210$16,250
Raymond Hamel 272613$16,250
David Kwong 252056$16,250
Ryan McCarty 322931$16,250
Jonathan Schmalzbach 313011$16,250
107.Paolo Pasco 2717105$16,000
Adam G. Perl 303001$16,000
Karen M. Tracey 323200$16,000
110.Matthew Stock 3310238$15,750
111.Dean Niles 151508$15,500
Andrew Ries 262423$15,500
113.Ashish Vengsarkar 191458$15,250
114.Rebecca Goldstein 2713148$15,000
Brandon Koppy 222204$15,000
Julian Lim 262602$15,000
117.Bill Zais 1510510$14,750
118.Victor Barocas 2111109$14,500
Janet R. Bender 272701$14,500
Josh Knapp 252502$14,500
121.Joe Deeney 242402$14,000
122.Kevan Choset 272432$13,750
joon pahk 251874$13,750
124.Ruth B. Margolin 161516$13,250
125.Seth A. Abel 141406$13,000
Kameron Austin Collins 272520$13,000
Mary Lou Guizzo 2913163$13,000
Nancy Kavanaugh 262600$13,000
Nancy S. Ross 222202$13,000
130.Sid Sivakumar 181355$12,750
Ned White 252411$12,750
132.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
137.Nelson Hardy 111017$12,250
Rafael Musa 277206$12,250
139.Myles Callum 222201$12,000
Con Pederson 8808$12,000
Andrew Zhou 181803$12,000
142.Tyler Hinman 221752$11,750
Michael S. Maurer 191633$11,750
Mel Rosen 141315$11,750
Simeon Seigel 201912$11,750
146.Kristian House 222021$11,500
Martin Schneider 131305$11,500
148.Emily Carroll 191812$11,250
Todd Gross 181354$11,250
Carolyn W. Stewart 212011$11,250
Alex Vratsanos 191633$11,250
152.Gerald R. Ferguson 222200$11,000
Alex K. Justin 141404$11,000
Jules P. Markey 222200$11,000
Randy Sowell 222200$11,000
156.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
161.Daniel C. Bryant 9906$10,500
Rand H. Burns 212100$10,500
Kyle T. Dolan 191901$10,500
Michael Hawkins 241681$10,500
Andrew Kingsley 231581$10,500
David Woolf 171702$10,500
167.Freddie Cheng 191811$10,250
Aimee Lucido 191453$10,250
169.Lee Glickstein 253226$10,000
Bernice Gordon 211920$10,000
Oliver Hill 161423$10,000
Daniel Raymon 181801$10,000
173.Barbara Lin 191631$9,750
174.Adam Cohen 191900$9,500
Olivia Mitra Framke 121024$9,500
Evan Kalish 191721$9,500
Norma Steinberg 171701$9,500
Grant Thackray 131303$9,500
Jeffrey Wechsler 191900$9,500
180.Daniel Grinberg 10915$9,250
Craig Kasper 151054$9,250
John Lieb 201371$9,250
Dave Tuller 141133$9,250
184.Yaakov Bendavid 6606$9,000
Kelsey Blakley 8805$9,000
Ernie Furtado 121203$9,000
Katie Hale 11389$9,000
Kate Hawkins 191720$9,000
Gilbert H. Ludwig 181800$9,000
Lois Sidway 181800$9,000
Norman S. Wizer 141402$9,000
192.Caitlin Reid 16973$8,750
Fran Sabin 250255$8,750
Brad Wiegmann 121113$8,750
195.Daniel Bodily 161063$8,500
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
Adrian Johnson 171341$8,500
Roy Leban 131302$8,500
Robert Malinow 9904$8,500
Thomas W. Schier 171700$8,500
205.Howard Barkin 121023$8,000
Robert Dillman 161600$8,000
Adam Fromm 8804$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
Stella Zawistowski 228141$8,000
215.Adam Aaronson 191360$7,917
216.Rich Katz 8535$7,750
217.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
229.Chandi Deitmer 9277$7,250
Jeffrey Martinovic 13674$7,250
231.Kareem Ayas 101002$7,000
Gareth Bain 151320$7,000
Garrett Chalfin 10643$7,000
Kevin Christian 208120$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
240.Neville Fogarty 141131$6,750
Francis Heaney 10733$6,750
Christopher Hurt 111012$6,750
Todd McClary 121111$6,750
244.Mike Buckley 131300$6,500
Ella Dershowitz 13942$6,500
John Ewbank 10822$6,500
Brooke Husic 213181$6,500
Gary Larson 12663$6,500
Alfio Micci 111101$6,500
Hal Moore 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
257.Tracy Bennett 8623$6,000
Andrew Chaikin 4404$6,000
Paul Coulter 8802$6,000
Roland Huget 121200$6,000
David Liben-Nowell 13941$6,000
Alan Olschwang 101001$6,000
Bruce Venzke 191182$6,000
Hoang-Kim Vu 13761$6,000
Robert Zimmerman 121200$6,000
266.Sam Buchbinder 121110$5,750
Evan Mahnken 111011$5,750
Jacob McDermott 121110$5,750
Rich Proulx 10911$5,750
Brian Thomas 14950$5,750
271.Alex Bajcz 7702$5,500
Sheldon Benardo 111100$5,500
Rena Cohen 9901$5,500
John R. Conrad 111100$5,500
Gail Grabowski 13940$5,500
Wyna Liu 9363$5,500
Kurt Mueller 7702$5,500
Dylan Schiff 5503$5,500
Mike Shenk 7702$5,500
280.Peter Abide 8712$5,250
Ori Brian 9811$5,250
Trent H. Evans 111010$5,250
283.Christopher Adams 8622$5,000
Ashton Anderson 14680$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
David Karp 6602$5,000
Daniel Larsen 11920$5,000
James R. Leeds 8801$5,000
Zachary David Levy 10821$5,000
Eileen Lexau 101000$5,000
Stephen McCarthy 4403$5,000
Hemant Mehta 101000$5,000
Lewis Rothlein 10642$5,000
Blake Slonecker 101000$5,000
Susan Harrington Smith 101000$5,000
Jeff Stillman 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
311.Milo Beckman 10910$4,750
Billy Bratton 10910$4,750
Daniel Kantor 13670$4,750
Jerry Miccolis 4313$4,750
315.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
Jesse Goldberg 5502$4,500
R. Max Hopkins 3303$4,500
Christina Houlihan Kelly 9900$4,500
Mark MacLachlan 5502$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
Drew Schmenner 7701$4,500
Margaret Seikel 10820$4,500
Gary Steinmehl 9900$4,500
Stanley B. Whitten 9900$4,500
Joy L. Wouk 9900$4,500
340.Chase Dittrich 10551$4,250
John Dunn 8711$4,250
Rachel Fabi 10372$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
350.Evan Birnholz 8800$4,000
Lisa Bunker 6601$4,000
Bette Sue Cohen 6601$4,000
Kevin Curry 9541$4,000
Gene Louise De Vera 6601$4,000
Caleb Emmons 6601$4,000
Joseph Gangi 8800$4,000
Malaika Handa 9720$4,000
Katie Hoody 8800$4,000
Greg Johnson 8800$4,000
Betty Jorgensen 8800$4,000
Steve Kahn 7522$4,000
Spencer Leach 7521$4,000
Christopher Page 8800$4,000
Michael Paleos 6601$4,000
Kiran Pandey 8800$4,000
Glenton Petgrave 8800$4,000
Janice M. Putney 8800$4,000
Corey Rubin 8800$4,000
Herre Schouwerwou 8800$4,000
Bob Sefick 8800$4,000
Yacob Yonas 11560$4,000
Nam Jin Yoon 9720$4,000
Raymond C. Young 8800$4,000
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