2013 Crossword Construction Contest

Announcing the 2013 MMMM Crossword Construction Contest. The deadline to enter is December 20, 2013.

You can read about the 2012 contest here and see the winning entries here.

This year’s contest is inspired by Matt Gaffney’s recent meta puzzle, “Corporate Structure,” which featured a Nike swoosh logo composed only of the letters “N, I, K, and E.”

You can read about it here.

2013 Contest Rules:

  • Find a logo related to music. It’s OK if the logo consists of letters. Pictures are OK too. The logo should have a word / band name / brand associated with it.
  • Submit a 15×15 (preferred) or larger filled grid, with the following property: If you highlight all the squares in the grid containing the letters in the logo name, you get a picture of the logo.
  • There is no need to clue the puzzle.
  • Crossword Compiler, text, and screen image are all fine to submit with.
  • Submit your entry before December 20 by email. You are allowed more than one submission.

Judging criteria:

  • The better the fill, the better the puzzle.
  • The clearer the picture, the better.
  • The more well known the logo, the better.
  • The more graphic the logo (as opposed to being only letters), the better.
  • Creative license (even if it includes minor rule-breaking) is encouraged.
  • Grids with normal crossword symmetry are preferred, but asymmetric grids (like Matt’s) will be considered.

Judges:

Matt Gaffney, myself, and a few unnamed others…

Prize:

The winning entry will be announced shortly after the contest ends. The winner will get recognition, a large MMMM coffee mug, and I will distribute their puzzle to MMMM subscribers next year.

You retain all rights to any puzzle you submit.