#i've been thinking that i would write a puzzle that was intended for the nyt from the beginning

[coquelicoq]

i finally wrote an xword that i think might be nyt-submittable...i originally wrote it for the local paper though so i now have to go back through and rework the clues to take out the specific local ones and make some of the others harder. i know exactly which day of the week this would run in the nyt (if it gets accepted) because this type of theme always runs on the same day, so at least i know which clue difficulty to aim for, but i'm still finding it difficult to hit that precise level! i'm used to just making the clues as easy as possible because my local paper's audience is mostly people who aren't xword aficionados. i already reworked this puzzle a couple times based on feedback from friends and family but that was all still when i thought i'd be running it in my local paper. i kinda just want to be done with it but i've never had a theme and fill i thought were completely nyt-worthy before!

#i've been thinking that i would write a puzzle that was intended for the nyt from the beginning #but i never prioritize it because the local paper is actually expecting something from me and i have deadlines with them #so this might be the only way it ever actually happens #i feel kinda bad for the local paper that they don't even get my best work haha but also this theme would probably be too hard #for most of their audience (though let's face it probably all of my puzzles are too hard for various reasons) #aw shoot though i just reread the submission guidelines and they're specifically looking for themes OTHER THAN this type #hmmm #cruciverbs #i also wouldn't mind submitting this in collaboration with a more experienced constructor who could help me with the clues #and i imagine such people are always looking for greenhorn collaborators because it allows them to have >3 submissions #in the queue...but i don't even know how one goes about finding such people #if i submit it and they reject it no harm no foul EXCEPT that i don't know how long it would take them to get back to me #and if this isn't going to run in the nyt then i'd still like to run it in the local paper #but also maybe if they reject it they'll be like 'we don't want this but you seem to have promise so here's the email address of #one of our veteran constructors who would be willing to work with you on other ideas you may have' #i just made that up idk if they would actually do that haha but it seems plausible. and wouldn't it be nice? #i do have another nyt-specific idea that i've been spinning my wheels on for like two years #hmm hmm hmm. i think my best bet is still to rework these clues and submit it and see what happens #worst case scenario is they never get back to me. which is a distinct possibility given what happened with my #american xword puzzle tournament previous year solved puzzles (ie they never got back to me >:( ) #but that was will shortz. this is will shortz plus like 5 other people. he probably doesn't even see new submissions