Glory
It's there on the wall, in a frame next to the family photo and Grandma's cross stitch sampler...your first acceptance letter from the New York Times. It's a huge deal when your work is accepted by a major news outlet, and in that moment, all the teeth-grinding, coffee-chugging, and squinting-induced migraines will be worthwhile.
You probably won't get a Nobel Prize for writing crosswords (that would have to be one doozy of a crossword), but there's a lot of satisfaction in the knowledge that your puzzle is the essential accompaniment to a puzzler's morning cup of joe. Your clever clue or hidden theme can give someone else a glorious "Aha" moment, and maybe that person will look for your name on future crosswords.