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In 2015, Will Shortz was asked to pick his favorite puzzlemakers for a new crossword collection.
To simplify the decision, he set some criteria: each contributor had to be current with at least 25 published NYT puzzles at all skill levels including Sundays.
The results are the constructors you see below.
Interestingly, the constructors themselves got to choose ten puzzles each, eight dailies and two Sundays, so you're seeing the ones they're most proud of.
Each constructor also has a brief bio. To read those, you need to buy the book.
Update: apparently in at least some cases, puzzles were chosen by the editor, not by the constructors,
despite what the Introduction in the book says.
Num | Across Lite | Author | Answers |
1. | Tue Jun 2, 2009 | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
2. | Tue May 9, 2006 | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
3. | Wed Jul 22, 2009 | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
4. | Wed May 16, 2007 | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
5. | Thu Oct 7, 2010*** | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
6. | Thu Nov 5, 2009 | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
7. | Thu Jan 15, 2009 | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
8. | Thu Jun 18, 2009 | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
9. | Sun Jun 4, 2006 | Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
10. | Sun Oct 30, 2011 | Andrea Carla Michaels & Patrick Blindauer | Solution |
11. | Mon Aug 1, 2011 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
12. | Mon Oct 22, 2012 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
13. | Wed Jan 23, 2013 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
14. | Thu Sep 1, 2011 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
15. | Thu Jul 26, 2012 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
16. | Thu Sep 27, 2012 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
17. | Thu Nov 22, 2012 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
18. | Fri Mar 16, 2012 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
19. | Sun Sep 2, 2012 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
20. | Sun Oct 16, 2011 | Joel Fagliano | Solution |
21. | Mon Jun 29, 2009 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
22. | Mon Jan 2, 2012 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
23. | Tue Aug 3, 2010 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
24. | Tue Oct 5, 2010 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
25. | Tue Feb 14, 2012 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
26. | Fri Jun 17, 2011 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
27. | Fri Jul 29, 2011 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
28. | Sat Oct 24, 2009 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
29. | Sun Apr 9, 2006 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
30. | Sun Sep 12, 2010 | Paula Gamache | Solution |
31. | Mon Jul 31, 2006 | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
32. | Wed Feb 21, 2007 | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
33. | Wed Feb 1, 2006*** | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
34. | Wed Mar 28, 2001 | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
35. | Thu May 8, 2003*** | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
36. | Thu Jun 3, 2010 | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
37. | Thu Jun 28, 2012 | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
38. | Fri Jul 22, 2005 | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
39. | Sun Feb 20, 2011 | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
40. | Sun Oct 18, 2009 | Elizabeth C. Gorski | Solution |
41. | Mon Apr 11, 2011 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
42. | Mon May 21, 2012 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
43. | Tue Nov 16, 2010 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
44. | Tue Aug 14, 2012 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
45. | Thu Mar 24, 2011 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
46. | Thu Jul 5, 2012 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
47. | Fri Feb 17, 2012 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
48. | Fri Jan 11, 2013 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
49. | Sun Jan 29, 2012 | Ian Livengood | Solution |
50. | Sun Feb 17, 2013 | Ian Livengood and J.A.S.A. Crossword Class | Solution |
51. | Tue Jul 15, 1997 | Frank Longo | Solution |
52. | Wed Feb 28, 1996 | F. A. Longo | Solution |
53. | Wed Nov 14, 2001 | Frank A. Longo | Solution |
54. | Thu Feb 10, 2005 | Frank Longo | Solution |
55. | Thu Sep 15, 2005 | Frank Longo | Solution |
56. | Fri Oct 24, 1997 | Frank Longo | Solution |
57. | Sat Nov 22, 2008*** | Frank Longo | Solution |
58. | Sat Aug 6, 2005 | Frank Longo | Solution |
59. | Sun Feb 5, 1995 | Frank A. Longo | Solution |
60. | Sun Oct 31, 1999 | Frank A. Longo | Solution |
61. | Mon Dec 28, 2009 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
62. | Wed Dec 29, 2010 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
63. | Thu Jun 24, 2004 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
64. | Thu Sep 22, 2005 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
65. | Thu Dec 15, 2005*** | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
66. | Thu Nov 17, 2011 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
67. | Fri Aug 11, 2006 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
68. | Fri Mar 18, 2011 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
69. | Sun Nov 20, 2005 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
70. | Sun Dec 18, 2011 | Patrick Merrell | Solution |
71. | Tue Oct 18, 2011 | Patrick Berry | Solution |
72. | Thu Oct 26, 2000 | Patrick Berry | Solution |
73. | Thu Dec 2, 2004*** | Patrick Berry | Solution |
74. | Fri Aug 31, 2012 | Patrick Berry | Solution |
75. | Fri Oct 19, 2012 | Patrick Berry | Solution |
76. | Fri Feb 21, 2014 | Patrick Berry | Solution |
77. | Fri Feb 15, 2008*** | Patrick Berry | Solution |
78. | Sat May 19, 2012 | Patrick Berry | Solution |
79. | Sun Aug 12, 2012 | Patrick Berry | Solution |
80. | Sun Mar 9, 2008 | Patrick Berry | Solution |
81. | Mon Mar 1, 2010 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
82. | Tue Nov 2, 2010 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
83. | Wed May 18, 2005 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
84. | Wed Jan 31, 2007 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
85. | Thu Jun 2, 2011 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
86. | Fri Oct 8, 2010 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
87. | Sat Jan 21, 2006 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
88. | Sat Mar 1, 2008 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
89. | Sun Mar 2, 2003 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
90. | Sun Oct 25, 2009 | Brendan Emmett Quigley | Solution |
91. | Mon Sep 12, 2005 | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
92. | Mon Sep 6, 2004 | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
93. | Wed Jan 5, 2005*** | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
94. | Thu Nov 24, 2005*** | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
95. | Thu Jul 12, 2007 | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
96. | Sat Sep 16, 2006 | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
97. | Sat Apr 7, 2007 | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
98. | Sat Aug 30, 2008 | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
99. | Sun Jan 22, 2006 | George Barany and Michael Shteyman | Solution |
100. | Sun Mar 19, 2006 | Michael Shteyman | Solution |
Erratum: in the book, puzzle 65 is different. The one listed here is the one Will Shortz and Patrick Merrell intended.