Joel Fagliano has always been fascinated by puzzles. His father, an avid solver of the renowned New York Times Crossword, would photocopy it every weekday for Joel to solve on his train ride to school. In 10th grade, Joel began creating his own puzzles and submitting them to the NYT’s crossword editor, Will Shortz.
Although Joel humorously admits that his early attempts were “quite bad,” Shortz provided feedback, and by the age of 17, Joel had his first puzzle published in the paper. During college, Shortz offered Joel a summer internship, where they collaborated on crosswords, with Shortz sharing his expertise on the intricacies of puzzle creation.
In August 2014, the NYT’s product director initiated an experiment: a small, five by five word puzzle to accompany the main crossword on the paper’s digital platform. Joel was tasked with crafting it, and he has overseen the Mini puzzle ever since.
Initially met with skepticism by NYT puzzle enthusiasts, the Mini has flourished under Joel’s guidance, attracting millions of daily solvers to the paper’s app due to its concise nature, contemporary themes, and clever misdirections. But how does Joel maintain the puzzle’s freshness, and what goes into creating a daily challenge?
You interned with Will Shortz for three summers. What was it like working with this puzzle legend as a young enthusiast?
Joel Fagliano: It was incredible. It felt like training with Michael Jordan as a basketball player. But soon, I realized he’s just a regular, friendly guy with an extraordinary puzzle-solving mind. We collaborated on editing puzzles, bouncing ideas off each other. Observing how he assessed clue difficulty, anticipated solver thinking, and crafted misdirections helped me refine my own style.
Can you walk us through your puzzle creation process? Do you focus on one puzzle at a time, or do you juggle multiple Minis concurrently? How long does each puzzle take?
With Minis, I can create them more quickly than full-size crosswords because the latter requires thematic cohesion among long answers. Minis don’t always need that. They focus on smooth word interlocks familiar to the audience, occasionally featuring fresh or intriguing clues.
Typically, I work on one puzzle at a time, about a week ahead. This allows me to incorporate current events into puzzles. For instance, if a film wins an Oscar, it might appear in the puzzle.
The Mini audience differs from our more hardcore solvers; they prefer straightforward clues and familiar words. While I aim to stimulate their brains, I avoid excessive complexity. The puzzle shouldn’t be too obvious or too obscure, striking a delicate balance to engage all solvers.
You’ve mentioned creating themes around answers or clues. How do you approach this?
I strive to introduce themes, although it’s challenging with Minis due to limited space. I recently had a puzzle featuring “car,” “van,” and “bus,” all parallel to each other, which was satisfying. Another puzzle had “comet” and “stars,” both space-related, with parallel clues. These themed puzzles provide a framework for creativity, inspiring diverse clues and engaging solvers.
You occasionally inject surprises into puzzles, like “AEIOU” for “a quintet of vowels.” Are you comfortable subverting crossword norms?
Absolutely! Unconventional answers or clue strategies add excitement. For instance, “OnVHS” [clued as “How Americans used to store their media”] presented an unexpected pattern that might momentarily confuse solvers, enhancing the challenge. I enjoy incorporating fresh elements to surprise and delight solvers, fostering a dynamic solving experience.
Your puzzles often feature cultural references. How do you balance international appeal while maintaining accessibility?
I’m conscious of diverse solver backgrounds, ensuring puzzles resonate globally. While some references may be US-centric, many cultural elements transcend borders due to global media consumption. However, I aim for universal relevance, prioritizing clarity and inclusivity in clues. My goal is to engage all solvers, regardless of nationality, fostering a shared puzzle-solving experience.
What’s your perspective on puzzle difficulty progression throughout the week? Do you strive for increasing challenge levels like the main crossword?
The Mini doesn’t adhere strictly to a weekly difficulty curve, although solvers perceive Friday puzzles as tougher. Occasionally, I create challenging variations, like puzzles with no black squares, reserved for Fridays. Saturday puzzles, larger at seven by seven, offer a greater challenge. While I aim for variety, ensuring puzzles cater to all skill levels, some days naturally present more demanding puzzles than others.
Do you engage in peer feedback or internal quality assurance while creating puzzles?
Absolutely. Colleagues provide invaluable feedback, ensuring puzzle accuracy and accessibility. Sam, my teammate, has playtested Minis since joining in 2018. While I previously handled testing solo, additional testers will enhance puzzle quality. We maintain rigorous standards, soliciting diverse perspectives to refine puzzles and enrich solver experiences.
Do you explore puzzles beyond NYT, such as cryptic crosswords or puzzle video games?
I occasionally solve puzzles from other publications, appreciating their diverse styles. While I admire cryptic crosswords, I haven’t delved deeply into them. My focus lies primarily on NYT puzzles and managing our puzzle team’s contributions. As a puzzle enthusiast, I enjoy exploring new formats and approaches, constantly seeking innovative ways to engage solvers while upholding puzzle standards.
As you continue your puzzle-making journey, do you envision exploring new game concepts or prototypes?
While I’m content with my current focus on puzzles, I’m excited about expanding into digital-first gaming experiences. As we transition from print-centric to digital platforms, exploring new game concepts aligned with our puzzle principles becomes
