Have you wondered how crossword puzzles are created? This course will appeal to those who want to construct their own crosswords, those who are simply curious about the process, and those who want to be better solvers. We will explore all steps of the crossword puzzle creation process including tools, formats, themes, grid block arrangement, challenging clues, and more. We will even discuss how to submit a puzzle for publication. After a brief intro to free-form style puzzles, we will focus on US newspaper-style, symmetric, themed 15 x 15 puzzles like the NYT crossword, and an OLLI-themed puzzle. Throughout the course, we will construct several crossword puzzles together.

Instructor: Steve Weyer has been a cruciverbalist (crossword aficionado) since the 1990s. He is the creator of CrozzWord, a mobile app for crossword solving. Weyer has been teaching crossword topics since 2010. He constructs crosswords for libraries and other organizations and publications. His first New York Times crossword debuted in November 2023. Weyer's crosswords appear weekly in Ashland.news and on his website.

Course Dates: Wednesdays, April 2 to May 7, 3:00 to 4:30 PM (Eastern)

Registration is required to attend, and limited space is available.

Osher Online is a shared program exclusively for members of select Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLIs). This collaboration between the Osher National Resource Center and the School of Professional Studies at Northwestern University presents lecture and discussion-style courses over four academic terms – fall, winter, spring, and summer – yearly. The purpose of Osher Online is to share quality online courses and occasional special community events with local OLLIs.