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A puzzle should be solvable. There's nothing worse than a puzzle that's too hard to complete. We want people to solve our puzzles.

Unpredictability is crucial in puzzles. Unlike Sudoku, which can feel predictable, the excitement comes from discovering new challenges each day.

In puzzle editing, there's a need to draw a line with 'Scrabble words'—those that appear only in unabridged dictionaries. This helps ensure that players can find as many words as possible without getting stuck on obscure terms.

In crossword puzzles, if a vertical word is particularly difficult, the horizontal clues should be easier to ensure fairness and solvability. This balance helps solvers find a way in, even with challenging elements.

Winna Liu shared that when she started solving the New York Times Crossword, she would leave answers blank if she didn't know them, as a form of self-punishment. She now recommends looking up answers to learn and improve.

The Spelling Bee puzzle involves creating words from seven letters arranged in a hexagon. Editors use a database to identify potential words and then curate which words are acceptable, balancing data-driven insights with human judgment.

One of the really cool things the New York Times puzzle team does is accept crossword submissions from around the country. Anybody can send a puzzle in and you hear back from the editors with feedback.

Sam Azerski believes that there's no such thing as cheating in crossword puzzles unless it feels like cheating to you. He emphasizes that it's your puzzle, and you should solve it however you like, whether using a pen, pencil, or even Google.

New York Times crosswords are ordered by difficulty: Monday is the easiest, Saturday is the hardest, and Sunday is large and medium in difficulty. Editing often involves adjusting clues to match the intended difficulty level.

The New York Times receives upwards of 150 crossword submissions each week from around the world. Editors sort these into categories: immediate rejections, maybes, and accepted puzzles. The editing process primarily involves changing clues rather than altering the puzzle's words.