David Steinberg: Pennsylvania-born rising puzzle master

Some names are immediately recognizable in the world of crossword. Will Shortz is an obvious one to start with. How about David Steinberg? If you're an avid player of New York Times puzzles, you might have seen the name before. If not, you're probably going to see it a lot more in the future. What you might not know is that Steinberg is just 19. This college sophomore is a rising star.

Steinberg's talent for letters started young

Steinberg was born in Pennsylvania and like most top puzzle creators, he showcased a way with words and a love of puzzles from an early age. Unlike other puzzle creators, he apparently used to go around with a wooden letter as though it was a pet. That's taking a love of language to another level.

His mother proudly claims her son had a gift for letters and puzzles straight away. He would tackle 1000-piece jigsaws in Kindergarten and apparently memorized the alphabet by age 1.

The turning point for this young star came when he was 10. The class was tasked with creating crossword puzzles, and Steinberg's immediately stood out. There was a clever blend of clues that showed potential. At the time, David joked about sending it to the New York Times. It wasn't long before that jestful comment became a reality.

An impressive resume for a young talent

Often, we see teenagers playing around with puzzle creation and showcasing a talent for riddles and wordplay, but it's more of a hobby than a profession. Steinberg might not call himself a pro yet, but he's not far off. He can already claim that one of his puzzles made it into the New York Times. This codebreaker puzzle appeared right after he graduated - from 8th grade, not high school.

From there, Steinberg went on to enjoy a summer internship at the Times, sleeping on his idol, Will Shortz's couch. He also became the Orange County Register's editor at 15.

What's perhaps most impressive here is the humility and tenacity shown by Steinberg through his teenage years. He was rejected 17 times before his puzzle made it into the Times, and he was shocked to get the editing job at 15. He kept going and is now a regular contributor to the New York Times. He's gained the respect of his peers and predecessors, and many hope to see his career bloom after college.

What does the future hold for David Steinberg?

The future is bright for Steinberg, and the world of crossword puzzles is definitely open to him if he wants to pursue it. Many games have risen in popularity, including WaPo, Daily Commuter Crossword , LAT Crossword, and others. He has the resume to earn a place on the editing team of any publication he wants, connections with one of the finest minds in the industry, and the humility to handle rejection.

Steinberg could be a massive star. But he's also just 19 and mid-way through college. It's the age where you can be anything you want to be. Even if puzzles aren't in the immediate future, gut instinct says that puzzlers will see his name a lot.