BrightSprout Crossword Scholarship Contest

BrightSprout believes in education for all students, regardless of their background. Creating a successful crossword puzzle is a challenging and rewarding exercise in creativity and problem-solving. To recognize this effort, we offer the annual BrightSprout Crossword Scholarship, celebrating students who demonstrate ingenuity and dedication in crafting their puzzles.

Rather than the typical essay, the scholarship is awarded to the student who creates the highest-quality crossword puzzle.

Each spring, hundreds of current and future college students submit their original crossword puzzles, with one standout entry earning the grand prize. Read on for details about the contest, the prizes, how to apply, contest rules, and more.

How it Works: About the BrightSprout Crossword Scholarship
To apply, students must create and submit one 15×15 newspaper-style crossword puzzle on My Crossword Maker according to the instructions below.

Awards and Prizes
Our annual scholarship winner will receive a $1,000 tuition scholarship and a free lifetime subscription to My Crossword Maker. We will also award a free lifetime subscription to My Crossword Maker to finalists and semi-finalists.

Eligibility and Rules
The BrightSprout Crossword Scholarship competition is open to all current or incoming undergraduate students who will be enrolled at a U.S. college or university for the Fall 2026 semester or quarter. We verify enrollment with the winner’s school before dispersing the award.

To be considered for the competition, all crosswords must be original, written solely by the applicant, and not previously published elsewhere, including on a personal website. Additionally, they must be created and published publicly on My Crossword Maker following all instructions and guidelines outlined below.

How to Apply for the Crossword Scholarship:
1: Create Your Crossword Puzzle
First, make a free account on My Crossword Maker. Once you log into your account, click on “My Puzzles” in the navigation bar and click the “Create Newspaper Puzzle” button. Finally, set up your puzzle in a 15×15 grid.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure to create a newspaper-style puzzle (see below). Standard Puzzles will not be considered for the scholarship.

Be careful not to create a “standard” puzzle. Only 15×15 newspaper-style crosswords will be considered for the scholarship.
Next, create your puzzle! Your original crossword must fit the theme of My Hobby/Interest. We want to know what you’re passionate about, and we want to learn it square by square. Your puzzle can cover anything you care about: music, cooking, spirit animals, vintage ceramic buttons, base jumping, skateboarding, cupcakes, homework, retro video games–the sky really is the limit. We want to see your creativity shine.

The best (and winning) puzzles tend to meet the professional, newspaper-style crossword standards and tips outlined on the link. Puzzles should have a maximum of 78 words. Creators who make puzzles with fewer black squares also increase their odds of winning.

Don’t forget to give your puzzle a title, which can provide fun clues to the subject or theme of the crossword.

We know that writing puzzles is hard! My Crossword Maker saves your work as you go, so you can come back later to finish it or complete it in multiple sessions.

2: Contact Us to ‘Unlock’ Your Puzzle
Once you finish creating your puzzle, email: scholarship@mycrosswordmaker.com, so that we can waive the fee for publishing your puzzle. In your email, make sure to include:

The email address you used to create your My Crossword Maker account
The title of your finished crossword puzzle
Within 24 hours, you’ll receive an email confirming that your puzzle is unlocked.

Note: The scholarship competition is free to enter. Do not pay to publish your puzzle. Contact us before publishing your puzzle, so that we can waive the fee.

3: Publish Your Puzzle Once It’s ‘Unlocked’
To enter the competition, you must publish your puzzle. After you contact customer support and receive an email confirming that your crossword is unlocked, you can publish your puzzle for free. Simply click on the “Publish” button. Remember, if you’re prompted to pay for your puzzle, something is wrong. Don’t pay. Instead, contact us at scholarship@mycrosswordmaker.com .

Once you review your clues and answers one final time, your puzzle will be published and available on the internet.

4: Officially Submit Your Puzzle for Competition Before the Deadline
After your puzzle is published, it’s time to apply for the scholarship by completing the short form below. You must submit the completed application form by application deadline: May 1, 2026.

Remember: only newspaper-style crosswords will be considered for the scholarship (see image in instructions above); standard-style puzzles will not be considered for the scholarship.

Make sure to verify that your email address is correct; all communication about the contest will be sent to the email address on the form below.

Winner announced: June 2026