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In the Studio: Robyn Weintraub: Creating crosswords

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Robyn Weintraub

05/09/2023 GMT

Robyn Weintraub: Creating crosswords

BBC World Service - In the Studio, Robyn Weintraub: Creating crosswords

Inside the world of a leading crossword designer

Tara Gadomski follows crossword designer Robyn Weintraub over three intense days as she constructs a new puzzle, from blank page to completed grid.

Robyn Weintraub is a leading crossword designer who writes clues and fills in cells for the New York Times, famous for its challenging daily puzzles. She also creates for the New Yorker, People Magazine and the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Robyn is known for her distinct style, and keen readers recognise a “Robyn Puzzle” from the quotes and sayings she uses as hints. 

Tara Gadomski follows Robyn over three intense days as she constructs a new crossword puzzle from blank page to completed grid. We get a glimpse of her long word lists and her daily puzzle-writing routine, and experience Robyn’s final verification - by pencil and paper - to make sure the puzzle is satisfying for the millions of people who will try to solve it then we discover whether Robyn’s puzzle has been accepted for publication by the New York Times.

Produced and presented by Tara Gadomski for the BBC World Service.

(Photo: Robyn Weintraub. Credit: Courtesy of Robyn Weintraub)

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