Puzzle Creation Process

This page documents the workflow represented in the current application. It does not claim that an independent editor, test-solving panel, or external lexicon partner reviewed every published fixture.

1. Theme Development & Grid Construction

Puzzle records include a title, theme, difficulty, grid dimensions, entries, clues, and answers. The published fixture set currently contains 5×5, 7×7, and 9×9 grids. Validation code checks structural properties such as dimensions, entries, numbering, and connected playable cells before a record should be considered ready.

2. Clue Authoring & Lexicon Verification

Clue and answer records carry letter counts, definitions or source notes where available, and an internal status. The code can verify mechanical facts such as whether an answer fits its declared length. That check does not establish factual accuracy, originality, or a license to reuse external material; those questions require documented human review.

3. Editorial Review Workflow & Testing

The application models these statuses: Draft → In Review → Approved → Published. Transition rules can require validation and review fields, but the presence of a field is not proof that a named second editor or test-solving panel completed the work. Estimated solve times are practical fixture labels, not measured performance guarantees.

4. Post-Publication Updates

The Corrections Policy explains what to include in an error report. Reporting is not fully connected from every interface, so the site does not promise active completion-rate monitoring or a fixed response time.