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Constructors who debuted as teenagers
Here is the list of the 73 constructors who are known to have debuted before they turned 20.
Count shows the total number of published NYT crosswords.
The teens from youngest to oldest at debut:
| Name | Birthday | Debut | Age at debut | Count | Editor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Daniel Larsen | Sep 18, 2003 | Tue Feb 14, 2017 | 4,898 days - 13 yr. 4 mo. | 11 | Shortz |
| 2. | Arthur Bennett | Jul 5, 1955 | Thu May 22, 1969 | 5,070 days - 13 yr. 10 mo. | 3 | Weng |
| 3. | Michael W. Miller | Nov 20, 1962 | Mon Dec 6, 1976 | 5,130 days - 14 yr. 0 mo. | 2 | Weng |
| 4. | Ben Pall | Sep 8, 1995 | Mon Nov 23, 2009 | 5,190 days - 14 yr. 2 mo. | 5 | Shortz |
| 5. | August Lee-Kovach | Apr 25, 2007 | Sat Oct 9, 2021 | 5,281 days - 14 yr. 5 mo. | 4 | Shortz |
| 6. | David Steinberg | Nov 24, 1996 | Thu Jun 16, 2011 | 5,317 days - 14 yr. 6 mo. | 111 | Shortz |
| 7. | Paolo Pasco | May 10, 2000 | Fri Jul 17, 2015 | 5,546 days - 15 yr. 2 mo. | 27 | Shortz |
| 8. | Caleb Madison | Jan 29, 1993 | Tue May 13, 2008 | 5,583 days - 15 yr. 3 mo. | 35 | Shortz |
| 9. | Milo Beckman | Dec 9, 1995 | Fri Jun 24, 2011 | 5,676 days - 15 yr. 6 mo. | 10 | Shortz |
| 10. | Tyler Hinman | Nov 5, 1984 | Tue Jul 4, 2000 | 5,720 days - 15 yr. 7 mo. | 22 | Shortz |
| 11. | Paul Schwarzbaum | Apr 9, 1962 | Tue Mar 21, 1978 | 5,825 days - 15 yr. 11 mo. | 2 | Maleska |
| 12. | José Chardiet | Jun 16, 1994 | Tue Jul 6, 2010 | 5,864 days - 16 yr. 0 mo. | 3 | Shortz |
| 13. | Matt Fuchs | Jun 28, 1998 | Mon Jul 21, 2014 | 5,867 days - 16 yr. 0 mo. | 3 | Shortz |
| 14. | Ethan Cooper | Mar 23, 1983 | Mon May 17, 1999 | 5,899 days - 16 yr. 1 mo. | 15 | Shortz |
| 15. | Ailee Yoshida | Jun 2, 2006 | Tue Oct 11, 2022 | 5,975 days - 16 yr. 4 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 16. | Will Nediger | Dec 4, 1989 | Sat May 27, 2006 | 6,018 days - 16 yr. 5 mo. | 51 | Shortz |
| 17. | Simon Marotte | Aug 25, 2004 | Tue Mar 9, 2021 | 6,040 days - 16 yr. 6 mo. | 8 | Shortz |
| 18. | Tarun Krishnamurthy | Dec 15, 2007 | Mon Jul 15, 2024 | 6,057 days - 16 yr. 6 mo. | 1 | Fagliano |
| 19. | Natan Last | Nov 13, 1990 | Tue Jul 17, 2007 | 6,090 days - 16 yr. 8 mo. | 40 | Shortz |
| 20. | Francesco Trogu | May 25, 1995 | Mon Jan 30, 2012 | 6,094 days - 16 yr. 8 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 21. | Michael Shteyman | May 9, 1984 | Tue Feb 13, 2001 | 6,124 days - 16 yr. 9 mo. | 55 | Shortz |
| 22. | Jackson Matz | Mar 30, 2007 | Fri Mar 8, 2024 | 6,188 days - 16 yr. 11 mo. | 3 | Shortz |
| 23. | Saul Pink | Oct 14, 2002 | Tue Oct 22, 2019 | 6,217 days - 17 yr. 0 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 24. | Kyle Mahowald | Mar 7, 1987 | Mon Mar 22, 2004 | 6,225 days - 17 yr. 0 mo. | 18 | Shortz |
| 25. | Samuel Smalley | Apr 24, 2006 | Sat May 27, 2023 | 6,242 days - 17 yr. 1 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 26. | Merl Reagle | Jan 5, 1950 | Sat Feb 11, 1967 | 6,246 days - 17 yr. 1 mo. | 10 | Farrar |
| 27. | Sam Ezersky * | May 29, 1995 | Sat Jul 28, 2012 | 6,270 days - 17 yr. 1 mo. | 57 | Shortz |
| 28. | Oliver Hill | Jul 30, 1990 | Tue Oct 2, 2007 | 6,273 days - 17 yr. 2 mo. | 16 | Shortz |
| 29. | Joel Fagliano | Aug 9, 1992 | Thu Oct 22, 2009 | 6,283 days - 17 yr. 2 mo. | 71 | Shortz |
| 30. | Benjamin Lauring * | Aug 20, 2000 | Mon Nov 6, 2017 | 6,287 days - 17 yr. 2 mo. | 2 | Shortz |
| 31. | Đặng Quang Thắng | Dec 4, 2005 | Mon May 22, 2023 | 6,378 days - 17 yr. 5 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 32. | Ada Nicolle | Dec 26, 2001 | Wed Jul 17, 2019 | 6,412 days - 17 yr. 6 mo. | 4 | Shortz |
| 33. | Lindsay McBride | Jun 2, 2005 | Wed Jan 18, 2023 | 6,439 days - 17 yr. 7 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 34. | Luke K. Schreiber | Apr 19, 2006 | Mon Dec 11, 2023 | 6,445 days - 17 yr. 7 mo. | 3 | Shortz |
| 35. | Garrett Chalfin | Nov 15, 2004 | Mon Aug 1, 2022 | 6,468 days - 17 yr. 8 mo. | 8 | Shortz |
| 36. | Nathan Hasegawa | Jun 25, 2003 | Wed Apr 14, 2021 | 6,503 days - 17 yr. 9 mo. | 2 | Shortz |
| 37. | John Westwig | Aug 20, 1997 | Mon Jul 20, 2015 | 6,543 days - 17 yr. 10 mo. | 9 | Shortz |
| 38. | Soleil Saint-Cyr | Feb 13, 2003 | Mon Feb 1, 2021 | 6,563 days - 17 yr. 11 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 39. | Aidan Deshong | Jun 10, 2006 | Fri May 31, 2024 | 6,565 days - 17 yr. 11 mo. | 1 | Fagliano |
| 40. | Finn Vigeland | Aug 7, 1992 | Wed Oct 20, 2010 | 6,648 days - 18 yr. 2 mo. | 21 | Shortz |
| 41. | Jonah Kagan * | Jul 8, 1991 | Tue Dec 1, 2009 | 6,721 days - 18 yr. 4 mo. | 6 | Shortz |
| 42. | Josh Kindler | Feb 7, 2004 | Wed Jul 20, 2022 | 6,738 days - 18 yr. 5 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 43. | Adam Aaronson | Jul 12, 2001 | Sat Jan 4, 2020 | 6,750 days - 18 yr. 5 mo. | 13 | Shortz |
| 44. | Billy Bratton | Mar 17, 2003 | Thu Sep 9, 2021 | 6,751 days - 18 yr. 5 mo. | 10 | Shortz |
| 45. | Jem Burch | Oct 24, 2002 | Thu Apr 22, 2021 | 6,755 days - 18 yr. 5 mo. | 5 | Shortz |
| 46. | Arthur Schulman | Feb 17, 1935 | Mon Aug 24, 1953 | 6,763 days - 18 yr. 6 mo. | 87 | Farrar |
| 47. | Alex Vratsanos | Nov 16, 1992 | Mon Jun 13, 2011 | 6,783 days - 18 yr. 6 mo. | 19 | Shortz |
| 48. | Harry Zheng | May 31, 2005 | Mon Jan 1, 2024 | 6,789 days - 18 yr. 7 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 49. | Rena Cohen | Feb 24, 2006 | Thu Oct 3, 2024 | 6,796 days - 18 yr. 7 mo. | 1 | Fagliano |
| 50. | Matthew L. Jones | Mar 10, 1976 | Fri Nov 4, 1994 | 6,813 days - 18 yr. 7 mo. | 3 | Shortz |
| 51. | Patrick John Duggan | Sep 18, 1989 | Fri May 23, 2008 | 6,822 days - 18 yr. 8 mo. | 6 | Shortz |
| 52. | Zachary Spitz | Feb 7, 1997 | Wed Nov 18, 2015 | 6,858 days - 18 yr. 9 mo. | 6 | Shortz |
| 53. | Lucas Gaviotis Whitestone | Nov 19, 1989 | Wed Sep 10, 2008 | 6,870 days - 18 yr. 9 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 54. | Kelsey Boes | Aug 18, 1992 | Tue Jun 21, 2011 | 6,881 days - 18 yr. 10 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 55. | Harold P. Furth | Jan 13, 1930 | Sun Dec 12, 1948 | 6,908 days - 18 yr. 10 mo. | 1 | Farrar |
| 56. | Michael J. Doran | Sep 28, 1984 | Tue Sep 16, 2003 | 6,927 days - 18 yr. 11 mo. | 7 | Shortz |
| 57. | Jeffrey Harris | Aug 22, 1985 | Mon Aug 30, 2004 | 6,948 days - 19 yr. 0 mo. | 4 | Shortz |
| 58. | Erik Agard | Sep 12, 1993 | Tue Nov 6, 2012 | 6,995 days - 19 yr. 1 mo. | 79 | Shortz |
| 59. | Clara Williamson | Aug 29, 1996 | Wed Nov 25, 2015 | 7,027 days - 19 yr. 2 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 60. | Zach Jesse | Sep 1, 1984 | Mon Jan 19, 2004 | 7,079 days - 19 yr. 4 mo. | 2 | Shortz |
| 61. | Owen Travis * | Jul 10, 2001 | Wed Dec 9, 2020 | 7,092 days - 19 yr. 5 mo. | 2 | Shortz |
| 62. | Joey Weissbrot | Nov 6, 1989 | Wed Apr 8, 2009 | 7,093 days - 19 yr. 5 mo. | 2 | Shortz |
| 63. | David Litman | Feb 27, 2004 | Mon Jul 31, 2023 | 7,094 days - 19 yr. 5 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 64. | Spencer Leach | Dec 4, 2003 | Sat May 13, 2023 | 7,100 days - 19 yr. 5 mo. | 6 | Shortz |
| 65. | Nina Sloan | Nov 12, 2001 | Tue May 4, 2021 | 7,113 days - 19 yr. 5 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 66. | Duncan Kimmel | Apr 13, 1996 | Wed Nov 25, 2015 | 7,165 days - 19 yr. 7 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 67. | Zoe Wheeler | May 23, 1990 | Tue Jan 19, 2010 | 7,181 days - 19 yr. 7 mo. | 6 | Shortz |
| 68. | Henry Hook | Sep 18, 1955 | Fri May 23, 1975 | 7,187 days - 19 yr. 8 mo. | 59 | Weng |
| 69. | Anna Shechtman | Aug 30, 1990 | Wed May 26, 2010 | 7,209 days - 19 yr. 8 mo. | 3 | Shortz |
| 70. | Anne Larsen | Nov 26, 1999 | Fri Sep 13, 2019 | 7,231 days - 19 yr. 9 mo. | 2 | Shortz |
| 71. | Conor Sefkow | Dec 16, 2001 | Tue Oct 12, 2021 | 7,240 days - 19 yr. 9 mo. | 1 | Shortz |
| 72. | Jack Mowat | Nov 24, 1999 | Fri Sep 27, 2019 | 7,247 days - 19 yr. 10 mo. | 2 | Shortz |
| 73. | Aimee Lucido | Oct 30, 1990 | Mon Sep 13, 2010 | 7,258 days - 19 yr. 10 mo. | 17 | Shortz |
* co-constructed with a non-teen
The 2020 Father's Day crossword was co-written by 8-year-old Harrison Waldon and his dad Byron.
Another young constructor of note was Charles Gersch who had his first crossword published in the New York Herald Tribune on February 21, 1944, when he was exactly 13.5 years old. (He made his Times debut in 1951.)
At the other extreme, the oldest NYT constructor is certainly Bernice Gordon. She authored this puzzle at age 95: (Solve, Solution), then this one a year later at age 96: (Solve, Solution), this one at age 97:(Solve, Solution), and this one at 98: (Solve, Solution).
Then, amazingly, Ms. Gordon became the first centenarian constructor by having this puzzle published at age 100: (Solve, Solution), and then this one co-constructed with a teenager the next August: (Solve, Solution). See the list of the oldest known constructors.
Number of teen debuts by Editor:
| Margaret Farrar: | 3 |
| Will Weng: | 3 |
| Eugene T. Maleska: | 1 |
| Will Shortz: | 63 |
| Joel Fagliano: | 3 |