Stella Zawistowski is a crossword constructor whose puzzles have appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Games World of Puzzles, Newsday, Atlas Obscura, and other publications.
One of the fastest crossword solvers in the nation, Zawistowski perennially ranks in the top ten at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament and has a personal record for solving The New York Times Sunday puzzle of 4 minutes, 31 seconds.
A lover of the very hardest puzzles, Zawistowski is the author of Tough as Nails Crosswords, a collection of 72 extra-difficult grids. She publishes new puzzles regularly on her website, ToughAsNails.net.