18 x 18

[brehm]

Hi -

Admittedly a rookie and clearly an amateur.  I make crossword puzzles for my wife for special holidays, etc.  I normally make a conventional 15 x 15 but for this one I need an 18 x 18 to support the theme.  Is there a rule against even number grids?  I've noticed on other websites that they are all 15, 17, 19, and 21.

Thank you.

[ArnoldSideways]

Hi

There is a British paper, the Daily Mail which always has a 12x12 (I think, don't have one handy) quick style crossword on its back page.

Personally I think it is easier to make an odd-numbered grid, and they certainly look better in my humble opinion.

Edited for spelling (as I thought spelling errors in this forum would be a cardinal sin!)

[Tom Baring]

I've noticed two 16x16's in the NYT in the last couple of months.  One played
a good trick on me because I thought I knew one of the theme answers,
counted it out on my fingers, got 16 letters, counted it again, got 16, gave
up on it, and then was astonished to see it appearing out of the mist as
I worked the down answers... So wrote it in, counted again, got 16 (!), and
*finally* realized this was a 16x puzzle instead of 15x.  Excellent
sleight of hand... Here's that puzzle:
http://www.xwordinfo.com/ShowPuzzle.aspx?date=7/14/2009&analyze=on

So... I guess even numbered puzzles are okay, at least occasionally. 

[DougP]

The NY Times puzzles you mentioned are actually 15x16's.  15 rows by 16 columns.  The NY Sun also used to run puzzles that size every once in a while.  I can't remember ever seeing a 16x16.