Crossword popularity continues to rise in Finland amid growing interest from younger generations

Teemu Pallonen skillfully composes words for crossword puzzles, drawing inspiration from images provided by clients, such as a picture of a camper van. He begins by generating sentences from the image and then intertwining other words among them. Pallonen prefers common words and aims to use them in versatile ways, welcoming the inclusion of special characters like y, ä, and ö to make the puzzle more interesting. He avoids complicated proper nouns, as they may not be familiar to everyone. Only after all the words are in place does he create the clues, which are straightforward and simple.

The popularity of crossword puzzles surged during the pandemic, and this trend has continued. Sales of crossword magazines have increased significantly over the past decade, even as the overall magazine market has declined. Retailers now carry a variety of over 60 crossword publications, occupying nearly half of the available shelf space. In the first half of this year alone, two million issues have been sold.

Finnish crossword enthusiasts favor pictorial crosswords where hints are embedded within the puzzles, often accompanied by at least one main image. Jussi Granqvist, CEO of Grawiko, travels around Finland capturing suitable imagery for puzzles. Despite the challenges, the crossword industry is thriving, with publishers reporting steady interest from older generations while also noticing a budding interest among younger consumers.

Affordability is another factor; crossword magazines remain competitively priced, with new issues available for under three euros. This, coupled with low production costs and minimal payouts for creators, keeps the crossword market vibrant and accessible.