Simon & Schuster are the original crossword puzzle publishers, and they introduced the official standards that professional crossword puzzle creators use. One of these standards is that puzzles must be one of five grid sizes: 1515, 1717, 1919, 2121 or 2323. The larger the grid, of course, the more difficult the puzzle. In this context, "diagram" refers to the arrangement of blacked out squares on your grid. These should be arranged so that if you flipped the graph, the blacked out squares would be in the same places. Two-letter words are never allowed, and three-letter words should be used sparingly. If you're stuck for thinking of big words, remember that it is also acceptable to use phrases. With some exceptions, the words in your puzzle should be words one can find in a dictionary, atlas, work of literature, textbook, almanac, etc. Certain puzzle themes may prompt you to stray a bit from this rule, but don't overdo it. If one of the phrases in your puzzle is "lost at sea," you shouldn't also use "sea salt." Again, certain themes may give you some degree of flexibility, but you should tread carefully. One hallmark of a well made puzzle is that the longest words are the ones most closely tied into the theme. Not all crossword puzzles have a theme, but most of the best ones do.

Summary: Use one of the standard sizes. Make sure the diagram has 180-degree rotational symmetry. Avoid small words. Use referenced words. Use each word only once. Make the long words count.

The dimensions will vary depending on how small or large you want to make the pom pom. The width of the rectangle should match your desired pom pom diameter, and the length should be 1-1/2 to 2 times as long as the width. For a small pom pom, try making a 4-inch (10-cm) by 6-inch (15-cm) rectangle. For a larger pom pom, consider making an 8-inch (20-cm) by 12-inch (30-cm) rectangle. Alternatively, you could use a hardback book instead of creating a cardstock rectangle. The width of the book should match the desired diameter for your pom pom. This piece of tulle should be about 7 to 10 inches (17.5 to 25 cm) long. Set it aside for later. You'll eventually use this piece of tulle to hold the center of the pom pom together. If you don't want to use tulle, you could try cutting and using an equal length of ribbon, twine, or coated wire. Hold one end of the tulle at the lengthwise edge of the cardstock rectangle. Wrap the tulle completely around the width of the rectangle a total of 30 times, then cut the tulle from its spool after the final pass. For most sizes, 30 passes should create an adequately fluffy ball of tulle. Extremely small pom poms may require fewer passes, and extremely large pom poms may require more. You can use one to four colors of tulle. If using multiple colors, hold the different tulle strips together and wrap them simultaneously. Shorten the number of passes according to the number of colors. One color gets 30 passes. Two colors get 15 passes. Three colors get 10 passes. Four colors get 7 or 8 passes. Carefully slide the tube of wrapped tulle off the cardstock rectangle. Pinch the tube together at its center. When pinched, the tulle tube should have a bow-like shape. The wrapped, rounded edges should fall to both sides of your hand. Work carefully. If the tulle unravels during this step, you'll need to wrap it around the rectangle again to return it to its tube shape. Carefully tie the piece of scrap tulle around the center of your tulle tube, preserving the bow-like shape first created when you pinched the tube with your fingers. Keep the tie centered around the tube. If it appears off-center, carefully slide it along the width of the tube as needed to position it closer to the center. Insert your scissors through the rounded loop ends and cut them apart. Do this on both sides of the tulle tube. Gently pull the cut tulle ends toward the center of the pom pom, fluffing and shaping them as needed to hide the tied center and give the pom pom a rounded shape. Some pieces will likely appear longer than others. If this happens, carefully trim them down using your scissors to give the pom pom a more rounded shape. During this time, you can also trim away any excess tulle, ribbon, or coated wire peeking out from the center of the pom pom. Once the tulle pom pom is adequately round and fluffy, it's done and ready to use.

Summary: Cut a rectangular piece of cardstock. Cut a length of scrap tulle. Wrap the working tulle around the cardstock. Slide the tube off the cardstock. Tie the center. Cut the folded edges. Fluff the ball. Use as desired.

It can be something like "I need to leave now" or even something silly like "My monster needs me." It's about trying to keep the person bullying you off-balance. This often confuses the bully enough that he or she is less sure of how you will respond the next time the possibility of bullying arises. Bullying often follows a script, and you want to change it so the bully is off-balance. If you are a bystander and see someone being bullied, try to create a distraction or take the bully's attention off of what he's doing. You can also provide an interruption by telling the person being bullied like, "Hey, I really need to talk to you for a second" or "Mr. X wants to see you for a minute." If they follow you, or it happens again and you feel comfortable doing so, ask the person to stop. If the person refuses, detail the steps you will take to deal with the situation. For example, you can say something like, "Please stop calling me mean names. If you don't, I will report you to the principal." It's important not to give bullying an audience if you're a bystander. Attention will only encourage the bully. Don't laugh at or encourage bullying behavior. If it feels safe, you can even say something like, "That's really not funny" or "Take it easy." No matter how the person who is bullying you responds, staying calm will show them their efforts to upset you aren't working. Show that you are unaffected by their actions, even if you are inside. Write down as exactly as you can what they said and did and who was there. This can help when you talk to teachers or people in authority about the situation. Letting people in authority know will make it harder for the person who does the bullying to continue. You might not be the only one suffering, and it might be time for the school administration to take action against that person. It's important to have a record of complaint against the person doing the bullying in case it continues. If the verbal abuse has taken the form of sexist, racist, or homophobic slurs, you also might want to reach out to teachers involved in student groups trying to combat sexism, racism, and homophobia. Change your routes. Go with a crowd whenever you can. Bullies often avoid taking on someone with a group around them. If the bullying consists of any physical violence, go to the police immediately. Threats of violence should also be reported to the police, as they are illegal in many jurisdictions. Being the target of bullying is not your fault. No one should have to deal with bullying, social isolation, and shaming alone. Even if people who were your friends have gotten involved in the social bullying situation, look for new activities and new friends. Get yourself out of the toxic situation. If needed, speaking with a school counselor, joining a "beat-bullying" group, or seeing a therapist may also help with your emotional pain.
Summary: Interrupt the bully. Walk away if you can. Stay calm. Document your interactions with the person who is bullying you. Tell the school. Make it harder for the bully to find and get to you. Go to the police. Reach out for support.