Barry Tunik (1935–2007) was a renowned crossword constructor and beloved high school English teacher. He and Sylvia Bursztyn were writing partners from 1980 until his death in 2007 and collaborated on more than 1,400 consecutive Los Angeles Times Sunday puzzles. Their work has been collected in more than 25 books of crosswords.

Sylvia Bursztyn (1948–2011) was a nationally respected crossword constructor. She and Barry Tunick were writing partners for 28 years and collaborated on more than 1,400 consecutive Los Angeles Times Sunday puzzles. They crafted games for a dizzingly diverse list, including the New York Times, Flying Tiger Airlines, and Duran Duran.