NUJ Rate for the Job:
Crosswords
Rates archived as at 2025-07-09
These rates have been reported by members of the National Union of Journalists and others, and printed in the Freelance, newsletter of London Freelance Branch. They are sorted by publisher/publication, then by date (most recent first). TIP: Use the "Find in page" command under your browser's "Edit" or "Search" menu to be sure of finding all occurrences of a publication/publisher. AND do note the year in which the rate was reported! See also the Freelance Fees Guide, which gives general recommendations. And read the disclaimer and the key to exactly what the entries mean.
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Publication / Programme - details & terms | Group | Year | ![]() |
Total paid | GR |
XXXX |
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Guardian Genius crossword - rate in 2012 house agreement | _GMG | 2018 | ![]() |
209.00 | HA | |
Guardian Prize crossword - rate in 2012 house agreement | _GMG | 2018 | ![]() |
177.00 | HA | |
Guardian Quiptic crossword - rate in 2012 house agreement | _GMG | 2018 | ![]() |
167.00 | HA | |
Guardian Prize (cryptic) crossword: rate in 2012 house agreement | _GMG | 2012 | ![]() |
177.00 | HA | |
Guardian Cryptic crossword: rate in 2012 house agreement | _GMG | 2012 | ![]() |
167.00 | HA | |
Guardian Quick crossword: rate in 2012 house agreement | _GMG | 2012 | ![]() |
35.00 | HA | |
Key to the rates, by column: |
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1 Publication / Programme, any details of work and licence | ||||||
2 Owner at the time the rate was reported, where known | Group | |||||
3 The year in which the rate was reported | Year |
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4 Currency: either ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() |
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5 Amount paid (total of basic licence and extra licences for web use, database resale...) | Amount |
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7 "Going Rate" according to experienced NUJ members - do try to better it: | GR |
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or Minimum rate set out in NUJ House Agreement: | HA |
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8 Underpaid, in the fallible opinion of the Freelance editor: | ![]() | 50.00 | X |
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or Just sometimes we're pleasantly surprised: | ![]() | 1500.00 | O |
Other rates:
Type of work: | In the "sector": (click or tap below!) | ||||||
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Words, per 1000 | News | Local | Mag | online | Book | PR | Other |
Words, other | News | Local | Mag | online | Book | PR | Other |
Photography | News | Local | Mag | online | Book | PR | Other |
Broadcasting | News | Local | Other including podcasting | ||||
Shifts | News | Local | Mag | online | Book | PR | Other |
Other: | Cartoons | Crosswords | Illustration | Punditry | Retainer | Teaching | Tip-off | Translation | ||||||
Recently reported rates | all from the past few months |

