Join The New York Times as a Flashback Contributor!
The New York Times is on the lookout for talented contributors to craft engaging editions of our weekly history quiz, Flashback. This exciting opportunity involves creating a quiz composed of nine intriguing clues, each offering a brief yet captivating description of significant historical events that readers will need to accurately place on a timeline.
Each clue should be approximately 20 words long and come complete with sources for reliable fact-checking. We encourage contributors to infuse their clues with humor, irony, suspense, and surprise, as we believe that the best clues tell tiny stories that seamlessly blend the familiar with the unexpected. This could involve revealing lesser-known details about well-known events or uncovering the surprising origins of commonplace items. While contributors are responsible for the text of the clues, suggestions for accompanying photos are welcomed but not mandatory.
Our Flashback quizzes span a diverse array of time periods, countries, and historical themes—including science, politics, and culture. The focus is less on memorizing exact dates and more on understanding the how and why behind the events that have shaped our world. We aim for quizzes that are challenging yet solvable, providing readers with a rewarding experience.
Creating a Flashback quiz is a collaborative endeavor with our editorial team, where we strive to highlight your unique voice while delivering a fun and educational experience for a broad audience. Our comprehensive editing process includes feedback, fact-checking, and user testing to ensure clarity and appropriate difficulty. Additionally, each clue is designed to connect with current news and events, unveiling these connections after the quiz is completed.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please send an email to flashback-contributors@nytimes.com and provide a brief overview of your relevant experience. We request that you attach or include links to two or three of your published works—these may include articles or blog posts focused on history or other quizzes you have created. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Please note that any unsolicited Flashback quizzes will not be considered for review.
We will reach out to promising candidates to commission future quizzes. The compensation for each quiz is $800.