New creator wants to bridge generational gaps with puzzles
What’s the secret to designing a successful crossword puzzle? For Stella Zawistowski, the answer lies in letting the player enjoy the process of solving it.
“To me, success is (when) people solve the puzzle and they’re happy,” Zawistowski said. “That’s the whole point of a puzzle. You’re supposed to feel good at the end of it.”
Zawistowski is the new creator of the Daily Commuter Crossword puzzles, which run in both the Times-call and Reporter-herald. Based in Brooklyn,
N.Y., Zawistowski stepped into the position on Jan. 8, taking over from longtime creator Jacqueline Mathews.
Zawistowski’s passion for crosswords, however, is anything but new. Her love for the hobby started in college, when she would do the puzzles as a break from schoolwork.
Then came competitive crossword solving when Zawistowski attended her first American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stamford, Conn. in 2001. Zawistowski said the tournament website offered a sample puzzle, with a note that cracking the crossword in under 15 minutes would qualify the player for the tournament.
“I solved it in nine minutes and 45 seconds,” Zawistowski said. Not long after her first tournament, Zawistowski decided to try her hand at crafting puzzles of her own.
Sometimes working with a partner and other times going solo, Zawistowski has created puzzles that have run in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today.
“After you solve enough crossword puzzles, I think it’s a very natural thing for you to wonder, ‘Can I make one?’” Zawistowski said.
Zawistowski took a break from crossword creation in 2010, but recently took up the mantle again after noticing a push to bring more diversity to the crossword community, including adding more female creators.
When making a crossword, Zawistowski places one word on the grid and lets the puzzle grow from that central point. Since the Daily Commuter puzzles don’t have a theme, Zawistowki said she’s often inspired by anything that catches her attention.
Her Daily Commuter puzzles mark the first time Zawistowski has made a crossword for the same publication every day. She said the format brings its own challenges, such as having to make sure she’s not using the same word too many times. Another challenge comes from filling the shoes of her predecessor. On top of having a different style, the 45-year-old Zawistowski recognizes that there are some generational differences between her and Mathews, who is a few decades older.
“The people who have gotten used to this crossword are used to some references that are maybe 20 to 30 years older than I’m used to putting in puzzles,” Zawistowski said.
Rather than shift her puzzle clues to only containing these older references, however, Zawistowski is trying to “sprinkle some modernity” into her crosswords without leaving older audiences completely in the lurch. For example, words that reference newer trends will often be revealed in the puzzle if the player solves the clues containing older references.
For some, Zawistowski’s crosswords are too difficult — a critique she quickly learned about through player feedback. Zawistowski said she’s adjusted her puzzles accordingly, though the change might not be immediately noticeable since the papers receive the crossword at least one month before it goes to print. “I just encourage readers (to) stick with it,” she said. “I’m learning what this audience likes.”
Zawistowski also encourages crossword players to turn the experience into a collaborative one by involving their kids and grandchildren. That way, both generations can learn something new and bond with each other in the process.
“No matter who you are, I bet there’s something that we have in common,” Zawistowski said. “And I enjoy finding those little pieces and building a puzzle around them.”