Are puzzles your passion? If so, you’re not alone. According to one report, 63% of UK adults do puzzles at least once a week. Puzzles engage our brains, help us learn and give us a rush of satisfaction when we finally crack them. Who wouldn’t want more of that?
But have you ever thought about making a living from your hobby? If not, why not? Here are 10 jobs that could be just up your street…
1 Cryptologist
Do you love to crack codes? Cryptologists (or cryptographers) write and crack ciphers. Traditionally known for wartime code-breaking, today cryptologists often work in the cybersecurity field.
They might be employed by the military, law enforcement, government or the financial sector in order to help to encrypt confidential data and to protect corporations from cyber criminals.
2 Puzzle compiler
Are you a whizz at making your own themed crosswords, or have you got a puzzle idea that you’ve never seen printed? Whilst it’s true that many puzzles are being created by AI engines these days, there is still a market for new ideas and for puzzles that the bots are less able to produce.
So, a quiz all about the music of the 1960s for example, or a puzzle that leaves a secret phrase at the end could potentially earn you some money if you approach a publisher.
3 Escape room creator
Escape rooms have never been bigger (literally, in some cases), and organisers need people who can create challenges, puzzles and storylines. Teams are locked into rooms, where they need to complete a series of puzzles and clues in order to escape within a given time.
Whether you’d be up for approaching an established company, or striking out with your own small business, there’s a buck to be made from escape-room escapades!
4 Forensic scientist
This one is a bit darker than the rest, but bear with me. Forensic scientists are employed to use scientific methods and techniques to solve crimes. They need to analyse evidence, conduct experiments, and reconstruct crime scenes.
They basically have to use critical thinking skills to piece together the puzzle of a criminal investigation, something that might well appeal to a devout puzzler.
5 Video game developer
How are you at IT skills? If you’re already a computer whizz, or you’re willing to train in it, you could always try your hand at game designing. There are plenty of courses out there, and some designers are self-taught.
You’d be focusing on the game’s function, rules and gameplay as well as helping with the world-building (the story and IP) to create fun and engaging challenges. This is one for those who aren’t afraid of getting stuck into the digital world.
6 Ethical hacker
Ethical hackers (or white hat hackers) are cybersecurity workers whose job it is to stay ahead of the black hat hackers (the ones that want to cause harm). They look at companies’ systems to try to spot any security vulnerabilities before the black hats can break in.
You might work in-house for a company or work as a freelance consultant. Code-cracking is the name of the game here, as passwords become computer generated and more and more complex.
7 Puzzle book or magazine checker
Would you quite happily sit and complete a whole puzzle book? If so, would you fancy being paid for it? Believe it or not, there are people that get paid for doing just that.
If nothing gets past you and you enjoy proofreading, it could be worth contacting a puzzle book or magazine publisher to see if they need any checkers.
8 Landscape maze designer
This is niche, that’s for sure, but Adrian Fisher is one puzzle-lover who has made a living for over 40 years as a creator of mazes. In fact, he’s the most prolific maze-designer in the world, with the London Dungeon Mirror Maze and Blenheim Palace’s Hedge Maze being just two of his creations.
Adrian says, “A maze, to my mind, should be a joyful thing. Ideally, you need to get properly lost, but find your way out at the point just before you've had enough – during the period in which fun and disorientation are still operating hand in hand.”
If you love being outdoors, have the heart of a puzzler and green fingers to boot, this idea could be the one that leads you up the right path.
9 Board game cafe owner
Does your love of puzzles extend to playing games? Many games include elements of puzzle solving, just look at Cluedo, Azul, Cascadia, Pandemic or The Traitors board games for starters. If you’ve always dreamed of creating your own puzzle-loving community, opening a board game café could be just what you’re looking for. Many people are rediscovering the joy of gathering around a table together and taking a break from the digital world.
If you don’t want to own a business, how about becoming a librarian instead? Many libraries now have board game sessions as part of their weekly offer, so you might find it easy to set one up for your favourite puzzle game.
10 TV quiz show question setter
What a job! Jo Dean got into the business of question-setting after taking part in a pilot for a new quiz as a contestant. The producers of the show were so impressed with her knowledge that they suggested she tried writing some questions for the series, and her career blossomed from there. She’s since written questions for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Eggheads.
And then there are the QI Elves (pictured above), question setters who are stars in their own right thanks to their frequent name checks on the long-running BBC quiz show.
So if you’re a knowledge buff, why not start by applying to a few game shows yourself — and keep scribbling down great quiz questions as they come to you… You never know when they’re going to come in handy!