Resources for constructing crosswords

[donkirkby]

To create a crossword puzzle takes a lot of work, and there are several guides and tools to make the task easier. If you find one that isn't mentioned here, add it in a comment. If you find one of these useful, vote it up. Please put each item in a separate comment to make the voting easier.

If you still want more, try a general Google search.

[donkirkby]

NY Times series makes an excellent introduction by walking you through all the steps.

[donkirkby]

QXW builder with manual makes it much easier to do the actual construction. It gives you guidance about which squares are hardest to fill in, so you should tackle them first.

[donkirkby]

Phil grid builder makes a good backup to QXW. It's helpful if you can't install QXW or if QXW gets upset with a difficult section of the grid.

[donkirkby]

Crossword Hobbyist has lots of articles, some build tools, and some published puzzles that you can use for inspiration.

[donkirkby]

McSweeney's is another general introduction. Not as thorough as the New York Times.

[donkirkby]

Medium.com is another general introduction.

[donkirkby]

More rules and references at CommuniCrossings.