Steve Kahn's Crossword Puzzles

"They are impossible to solve, but, to be fair, they are also impossible to make."

-- Alex Kahn

I've been solving crossword puzzles for a long time, and recently became interested in constructing them. Within a few months I sold my first puzzle to the NY Times! You can see (and solve) all of my published puzzles below. You can read more about constructing in my Crossword FAQ .

    Notes:
  1. I've made some comments about puzzles I especially like (or not!). If you are pretty new to puzzles look for a Monday puzzle (Monday is easiest, Saturday is hardest, Sunday is like a big Thursday).
  2. Many of these puzzles are saved in Across Lite format, which lets you solve them online. But first you must first download Across Lite.
  3. Some puzzles are simply image files; print them and solve them offline. Email me (st3v3k4hn AT gmail.com) if you need the answers!
  4. Although I wrote these puzzles, once I sold them they became property of the buyer (the newspaper or magazine). So, if you try to do anything with them (other than solve them and marvel at my brilliance) you are no doubt violating some law...
  5. Check it out - I got actual FAN MAIL from a solver!

Published Puzzles

  1. 7/15/2003, Universal Press Syndicate, "Goin' Nowhere Fast"

    2. This was my 1st published puzzle. It was widely rejected and then only published online. Lets just say its not great...

  2. Tuesday 7/22/2003, New York Times, "Mistreated"

    3. My 2nd puzzle, and my 1st in the NY Times. A big improvement...

  3. Tuesday 9/9/2003, New York Sun, "There is no I in Team"

    4. I loved the theme idea, altho making it work was a little ugly...

  4. Friday 9/19/2003, Newsday, "Marx Menagerie"

    5. Yeah its a Friday, but Newsday puzzles are all pretty easy...
  5. Oct. 2003, Games World of Puzzles magazine, "Hot Tips"

    6. Simple rhyme theme and pretty easy to solve (2 stars for difficulty)...
  6. Nov. 2003, Games magazine, "Hue's That Singer"

    7. Very fun, easy puzzle (1 star). I really like this theme altho Will Shortz never publishes this type...

  7. Wednesday 11/05/2003, Los Angeles Times, "Film Noir"


  8. Monday 11/17/2003, NY Sun, "Feelin' Feline" (FYI, this is the puzzle shown in the background)

    9. I just wanted to see if anyone would publish PUSSY GALORE as a theme answer...

  9. Monday 12/8/2003, NY Sun, "Dining a la Card"

    10. I was overjoyed when I thought of this theme...

  10. Monday 2/2/2004, LA Times, "Possessives"


  11. Wednesday 2/4/2004, USA Today, "I'll See Your Bluff"

    12. I did this one when I started playing a lot of poker...

  12. Monday 2/16/2004, LA Times, "Film Rhymes"


  13. Monday 3/29/2004, NY Sun, "End Game"

    14. How many ways can you say HEINIE?

  14. Wednesday 4/14/2004, Tribune Media Services

    15. Another one that was rejected 2 or 3 times but that I really like...

  15. Thursday 4/29/2004, NY Times

    16. One of my favorite themes (in fact this is the one that got fan mail) ...

  16. Thursday 5/6/2004, USA Today, "Band Aids"


  17. Tuesday 6/22/2004, NY Sun, "Creature Feature"

    18. This theme is overdone, but I managed 7 entries, which is pretty impressive...

  18. Sunday 6/27/2004, NY Times, "Hear Hear" (Co-constructed with Peter Abide)

    19. My 1st Sunday NY Times!

  19. Tuesday 7/13/2004, LA Times, "The Games People Play"


  20. Sept. 2004, Games magazine, "Weather Forecast"

    21. Another easy one (1 star)...

  21. Tuesday 8/3/2004, NY Sun, "Laugh Lines"

    22. A truly weird puzzle, greatly influenced by Peter Gordon (editor of the Sun puzzle)...

  22. Sunday 8/22/2004, LA Times, "Grossword Puzzle"

    23. Another Sunday puzzle with a theme I liked a lot...

  23. Wednesday 9/8/2004, NY Sun, "Know the Ropes"


  24. 9/18/2004, Universal, "Grapple With This"

    25. Another puzzle that only ran online...

  25. Nov. 2004, Games World of Puzzles magazine, "Go Ahead..."

    26. A 17x17 puzzle, a little harder than some others (3 stars), but worth it! This puzzle contains one of my all-time favorite theme answers (CREAMPUFFDADDY)...

  26. Monday 9/20/2004, USA Today, "Fun For All Ages"


  27. Tuesday 9/21/2004, NY Sun, "Forecast Foursome"


  28. Thursday 9/30/2004, NY Sun, "T Squares"

    29. This was more about the grid than the fill. Look at all those black Ts!

  29. Monday 10/18/2004, NY Times


  30. Monday 11/8/2004, NY Sun, "Sight Rhymes"


  31. Wednesday 1/5/2005, USA Today, "Rag-Tag Lines"

    32. Another one that I loved but was roundly rejected...

  32. Sunday 1/9/2005, LA Times, "In the Beginning"


  33. Wednesday 1/12/2005, NY Sun, "Read the Byline" (Co-constructed with David Kahn)

    34. David is a very prolific and talented constructor. I needed his help to make this one work, altho not for the reasons you may think...

  34. Wednesday 2/9/2005, NY Sun, "CF-Oh"


  35. Mar. 2005, Games World of Puzzles magazine, "For Ladies Only"


  36. March 2005, Banned Crosswords, "What's Up Chuck?"

    37. This is a book of top-quality "adult-themed" crossword puzzles. Say no more...

  37. Monday 6/4/2007, USA Today, "Four Star Menu" (Co-constructed with my son Alex [aka LB] Kahn)

    38. As I recall, I did the work, he took the check :-)
  38. Monday 6/4/2007, NY Times


  39. 6/6/2007, NY Sun, "Gaming Names"

    40. Another favorite of mine. The 3 main theme clues (not answers) are ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, IVAN RODRIGUEZ and CHARLTON HESTON...
  40. Monday 10/8/2007, NY Times


  41. Thursday 12/13/2007, NY Sun

    42. Technically a Themeless Thursday altho there is a mini-theme if you really look for it...
  42. Oct. 2009, GAMES Magazine

    43. Another one I really like. Its all about the CIRCULAR LOGIC...

Not sick of crosswords yet? Here are a few good crossword puzzle sites.

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