A game designer is a person who invents games at the conceptual level. Crossword designers are also known as crossword compilers, cruciverbalists, crossword writers, crossword constructors, or crossword setters. The following is a list of notable crossword designers.

DesignerNotable workHonorsErik Agardcrossword puzzle creator for the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times; crossword editor of USA TodayDavid Astlecreates crossword puzzles under the pseudonym DA for The Age and The Sydney Morning HeraldAdrian Bellfirst compiler of The Times crosswordTracy Bennettedits The New York Times Games products Wordle and StrandsJacques Benshead of crosswords for L'Express and LirePatrick Berrycrossword puzzle creator for the The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Harper's MagazineMerl Reagle MEmoRiaL AwardHarold T. Berscrossword creator for The Atlanta Constitution, The Washington Post, and the New York Herald-Tribune; credited with inventing the themed crossword puzzle while working for The New York TimesCrossword Puzzle Hall of FameSeth Bisen-Hershcontributor for The New York Times crosswordJoyce Cansfieldcrossword setter for The Times and crossword compiler The Listener. under the pseudonym MachiavelliAlan Connorcrossword editor for The Guardian and sets the Everyman cryptic crossword for The ObserverNuala Considinecrossword compiler for The Irish Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, Financial Times, Woman's Realm, The Washington Post, and New ScientistEmily Coxwrote a monthly cryptic crossword with her husband Henry Rathvon for The Atlantic and The Wall Street Journal under the pseudonym HexRuth Crispcompiled crosswords for The Guardian under the names Crispa and VixenJonathan Crowthercrossword puzzle setter for The Observer with the pseudonym AzedJonathan Crowther (2006) A-Z of Crosswords pp. 44–46, Collins , John Derek Croziercompiler of the cryptic crossword in The Irish Times, with the pseudonym CrosaireLeonard Dawecrossword compiler for The Daily TelegraphColin Dextercrosswords for The Oxford TimesTom Dribergcompiler of a regular, highly risqué cryptic crossword puzzle for Private Eye as TiresiasJacques Drillonhead of the crossword section of Le Nouvel ObservateurRoy Earlecompiler of a cryptic crossword published daily in The Irish Times under the pseudonym Mac An IarlaSam Ezerskycrossword constructor for the New York Times games departmentJoel Faglianocompiler of the Mini Crossword and The New York Times crosswordMargaret Farrarfirst crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times and editor of crossword booksCrossword Puzzle Hall of FameJeremiah Farrellcontributor to The New York Times crosswordJohn Finnemorecreated cryptic crosswords under the pseudonym Emu for The Listener and The TimesVic Flemingcreated crosswords for numerous publications and also I Swear puzzles bookMatt Gaffneycreated crosswords for Billboard, Chicago Tribune, The Daily Beast GAMES magazine, Los Angeles Times, and The New York TimesMangesh Ghogrecreated crossword puzzles published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles TimesWalter B. Gibsoncreated crossword puzzles for Philadelphia publicationsBernice Gordoncreated crossword puzzles for the The New York Times and Los Angeles TimesDave Gormancryptic crosswords setter for The Independent as Bluth, The Daily Telegraph as Django, and The Guardian as FedJohn Galbraith Grahamcryptic crossword compiler for The Guardian under the pseudonym AraucariaPaul Greencreated around 300 CommuniCrostics crosswords for the IEEE Communications MagazineBarbara Hallcrosswords puzzles editor for The Sunday Times; also created and set puzzles for the Daily Mail, The Yorkshire Post, and The ObserverJohn Halperncryptic crossword compiler for The Guardian, The Independent, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, and Financial TimesSarah Hayescrossword and advanced cryptics creator associated with The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent, New Statesman, Financial Times, and The Times, using the names Anarche, Aranya, and RosaFrancis Heaneypuzzle writer and editor-at-large for GAMES MagazineTyler Hinmancrossword contributor to the The New York Times and The OnionHenry Hookcreated crosswords and cryptics for Games and was a crossword creator for King Features Syndicate, The New York Times, and The Boston Globe Sunday editionHelene Hovaneccrossword puzzle book writer for childrenMargaret Irvineset cryptic crosswords for The Guardian under the pseudonym NutmegMaura Jacobsoncontributed weekly to The New York Times crossword for 31 yearsDaniel Larsenconstructed crossword puzzles for The New York Times when he was thirteen years oldWendy Lawset cryptic crosswords for The Guardian and the Financial TimesFrank W. Lewiscreated weekly crossword for The Nation for fifty yearsWyna Liucrossword creator and editor of The New York Times ConnectionsAimee Lucidocrossword constructor and editor for The New York Times crosswordWilliam Lutwiniakcrossword co-editor of The Washington Post magazine and contributor to the New York Herald TribuneDerrick Somerset Macnuttcrossword contributor to The Observer under the pseudonym XimenesEugene T. Maleskacrossword puzzle constructor who edited The New York Times crosswordDon Manleycrossword contributor to The Guardian and crossword editor of Church Times, under the pseudonyms Bradman, Duck, Giovanni, and QuixoteEdward Powys Matherspioneer of the cryptic crossword; created crossword for The Observer as TorquemadaAndrea Carla Michaelscontributor for The New York Times crosswordJeremy Morsewriter of cryptic crossword clues for The Observer and word puzzles for Word Ways: The Journal of Recreational LinguisticsStanley Newmaneditor of the Newsday crossword puzzleManny Nosowskycrossword contributor to The New York Times, the Wall Street JournalJuan Ostoicwrote crossword puzzles for La Tercera using the pseudonym Jota OTrip Paynecrossword contributing editor to Games World of PuzzlesGeorges Pereccreated crossword-puzzles for Le PointJohn Pidgeoncrossword compiler for the The Daily Telegraph under the pseudonym PetitjeanBrendan Emmett Quigleycreated crossword for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Boston GlobeA. N. Prahlada RaoKannada-language crossword compilerHenry Rathvonwrote a monthly cryptic crossword with his wife Emily Cox for The Atlantic and The Wall Street Journal under the pseudonym HexMerl Reaglecrossword constructor for the San Francisco Chronicle; syndicated in more than fifty papersAlistair Ferguson Ritchiecrossword compiler for in The Sketch and The Listener, under the pseudonym AfritAnna Shechtmanconstructs crossword puzzles for The New Yorker and The New York TimesMike Shenkcrosswood puzzle editor of The Wall Street JournalWill Shortzpuzzle designer for The New York Times crosswordSam Loyd AwardAssociation Awards: Sam Loyd Award Association for Games & Puzzles InternationalEvelyn E. Smithcrossword compilerBob Smithiescompiler of cryptic crossword for The Guardian under the pseudonym BunthorneStephen Sondheimcredited with introducing British cryptic crosswords to the US through a series he created for New York magazine, later consolidated as Stephen Sondheim's Crossword PuzzlesRoger Squiresrecognised by Guinness World Records as "The World's Most Prolific Crossword Compiler"; crossword editor at the Birmingham Post; and crossword compiler for The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, The Sun, and The Financial Times, using the pseudonyms Bower, Dante, Hodge, Icarus, and RufusDavid Steinbergeditor of the Universal Crossword, a daily puzzle published by Andrews McMeel Syndication; former crossword constructor for The New York Times and Los Angeles TimesBenjamin Tatarcreated crossword puzzles for Dell PublishingJan Buckner Walkercreator of the Tribune Media Services' Kids Across Parents Down family crosswordWill Wengcrossword puzzle editor for The New York TimesArthur WynneInvented the modern crossword puzzle while working for the New York WorldCrossword Puzzle Hall of FameAugarde, Tony (2003). The Oxford Guide to Word Games. Oxford: Oxford University Press. .

See also List of game designers

References