One across is a six-letter word for a job or occupation. One down is a fourteen-letter word for someone who creates or solves crossword puzzles. Together, they make one of the most unusual ways of earning a living: having a career as a cruciverbalist. It might sound like an unlikely way to earn money, but for people who love words and puzzles, working as a cruciverbalist can be a good career move.

Crossword puzzles come in all shapes, sizes and levels of difficulty. They can be very general and cover all kinds of information or stick to one theme, such as gardening or television shows. If you went to Britain and tried to do a crossword puzzle, you would find that the style was very different from the North American variety.

However, all crossword puzzles have certain things in common. They all have a set of squares going up and down with space for people to write in the answers to a series of questions. Writing these questions and answers is a cruciverbalist’s job. North American-style crosswords cover trivia on all kinds of topics, including history, sports, literature and anything else people might know.

You might wonder why people still compile crossword puzzles when computer programs can do the same thing. Many cruciverbalists use computer software to create the pattern of grids and to supply possible answers for their puzzles, but people often still prefer the personal quality of a puzzle designed by a person rather than a machine.

Compiling crossword puzzles is normally not a full-time job. Cruciverbalists are often paid $40 or $50 per puzzle, and they might be able to sell only a few per year. Almost anyone can create crossword puzzles. Cruciverbalists might be writers, teachers or carpenters who love playing with words and who want to earn a bit of extra money.

Almost anyone can solve crossword puzzles as well. Many of the questions require knowledge of history or literature, but the puzzles also have a scientific side which can appeal to people in areas such as mathematics or computers. However, anyone can enjoy compiling or solving the puzzles.

What does it take to become a cruciverbalist? There is no special training for the job, but knowledge of how crossword puzzles work is helpful. An interest in trivia and an ability to find information on many different topics can also help make the job easier. However, the best way to prepare for a job as a cruciverbalist is to practice. Doing crossword puzzles every day will help you understand how they work and how to develop your own style. You can also learn what makes a crossword puzzle easy or difficult and how to sell your puzzles to newspapers or magazines.

It’s never too early start developing a career as a cruciverbalist. You might never be able to make a living by making crossword puzzles, but you can earn extra money by using a love of words to provide entertainment for people in your home or across the country.