Submissions

[atco418]

Hi everyone! I'm relatively new to puzzle construction, and to this site, and I'm hoping someone might have answers to a few of my questions.  I've been a solver for years, and a few months ago I began attempts at writing a few.  At this point, I have a pair of grids that I plan to send to Mr. Shortz -one is a daily, one is a Sunday - and after printing the completed manuscripts I learned from the resources section of this site that Sundays may require multiple stages of approval.  It is finished, and I guess I could just send it, but I'd rather not breach protocol.  It's still a bit fuzzy for me just how casual or coordinated I need to be with my submissions.
Suggestions?

[RichP]

Some editors will request (and review) just the seeds for a certain puzzles, like a 21 x 21, but Will does not do this. He only reviews completed puzzles. What each editor requests is in the publisher chart. (Although I recently followed the seed-review protocol for Chronicle of Higher Ed. and, even after following up after a few weeks, I never heard back. So maybe I know less than I think I do!)

[atco418]

Thanks for the info.  I submitted a couple at the end of the year.  No success yet, but I'm hopeful.  I do have a new submission question about theme queries.  When you send one to an editor, and he/she gives the thumbs up, are you then obliged to follow through and produce the puzzle?  Not that I wouldn't - I'm just curious.

[mmcbs]

The expectation would be that you would complete the puzzle, but if for some reason you can't, common courtesy would be to let the editor know you're withdrawing it from consideration. If you can't complete it for some technical reason relating to the puzzle, I'd say tell the editor what the problem is - they might be able and willing to help you through it. If they approve the theme that means they want to run the puzzle.