To order the full working version of CrossPuzzler, contact your favorite software dealer. If they don't carry it yet, they should. You can also call, write or e-mail:
Greg Wentz
Focus Development Sales
6626 Buckingham Alcove
Woodbury, MN 55125
Telephone: (612) 731-0812
FAX: (612) 731-8051
AppleLink: FOCUSDEV
GEnie: FOCUSDEV
CompuServe: 71035,2133
Introduction
============
CrossPuzzler is a tool for making crossword puzzles from word lists. Without question, it is the most powerful and user friendly program available on any personal computer for turning word lists into crossword puzzles. The program will use any list of words and clues (up to 100 pairs) and automatically generate a crossword puzzle. It will number the words and clues and place the clues into across and down lists. The crossword puzzle can be printed to any printer including any laser printer or it can be stored in a PICT file for importing into a drawing or publishing program.
This documentation is for the demonstration version of CrossPuzzler. It will cover only the basic functions of the program to help you get started with the demo. Most of the features of the program are self explanatory, so a little exploration should allow you to use all of the features contained in the demo.
The purpose of the demo version is to give you an idea of what the full version can do. For that reason, it is different from the full version in two ways. First, the ability to save files has been removed. You cannot save newly created puzzles, nor can you save changes to previously created puzzles. Also, this means that puzzles cannot be saved to PICT files as they can in the full version. Second, all printouts will have the word DEMO printed in large outline font to indicate that they were printed from the demonstration version of the program. Also, the answers will be printed in all grids. If the answers are blanks, then asterisks will be printed.
This demonstration version is public domain software and may be distributed freely. It may not be sold, nor may it or this documentation file be altered in any way.
Shameless Plug
==============
If you enjoy word search puzzles then WordPuzzler is the program for you. You should be able to obtain a copy of WordPuzzler-Demo from the same location you received CrossPuzzler-Demo. WordPuzzler is as easy to use as CrossPuzzler, but it generates word search puzzles instead. The programs are similar so that if you know how to use one, you will be able to use the other immediately. If you've seen both you've probably already realized the similarities of the documentation. If you can't locate WordPuzzler or WordPuzzler-Demo you can contact Focus Development at the address or telephone number above.
Starting CrossPuzzler-Demo
==========================
To start CrossPuzzler-Demo you simply double click on the application icon. An information screen will appear which you can remove by clicking the mouse or pressing a key. The information screen will also appear anytime you choose About CrossPuzzler-Demo... from the Apple menu.
Entering A Word List
====================
To generate a crossword puzzle, you need to enter a list of words and clues. You can start a new word list by highlighting New from the File menu and selecting Word List from the submenu that appears.
Once the word list window appears you will see the two columns for words and clues. Simply enter the words and clues pressing Tab after each.
Generating A Crossword Puzzle
=============================
Once you have entered a word list, you can generate a crossword puzzle by choosing Crossword Puzzle... from the Generate menu. You will be presented with the crossword puzzle generation dialog box.
The current size of the puzzle grid will be shown in the dialog box. You can change the size of the puzzle grid to anywhere from 5x5 to 50x50. You can also mark certain areas of the grid where you do not wish to have words placed. To make these changes press the Configure button.
You can begin generating the puzzle by pressing the Generate button. CrossPuzzler will arrange the words in the grid until it can place them all. The number of words the program has placed will be shown as the Best Fit.
You can pause the process any time by clicking on the Pause button. If the program takes more than a few minutes, you can pause the generation and then click on Configure to make the grid larger. With a large enough grid, CrossPuzzler can arrange even 100 words in just a few seconds.
After a puzzle has been generated, you can click on the Accept button. The dialog box will disappear and the windows for the crossword puzzle will appear. There will be one window for the puzzle grid and one window for each of the across and down clue lists.
Opening A Crossword Puzzle
==========================
You can open one of the sample crossword puzzles by highlighting Open from the File menu and selecting Crossword Puzzle... from the submenu that appears. You will get a standard Mac dialog box that will allow you to select a crossword puzzle.
When you open a crossword puzzle you can either continue building the puzzle or you can solve the puzzle. If you choose to continue building the puzzle you will be able to edit the clues for the words or the actual words themselves in the puzzle grid. If you choose to solve the puzzle you will not be able to edit the clues and you will not be able to change the original answers in the puzzle grid. You can switch between building and solving a puzzle at any time by choosing Switch To Solve Mode or Switch To Build Mode in the Puzzle menu.
Changing The Crossword Puzzle Options
=====================================
The Options menu allows you to edit various aspects of the crossword puzzle.
Titles... will allow you to enter or edit a title, theme, author, and date of the crossword puzzle.
Characters... will allow you to restrict the content of the puzzle to alphabetic characters or alphabetic and numeric characters.
Layout... will allow you to arrange the manner in which the puzzle will be printed. You can select the number of columns into which the clues are divided or the placement of the puzzle grid on the page (ie. upper-right or center).
Colors... will allow you to change the colors used to display the puzzle on a color screen or print the puzzle on a color printer.
Display... will allow you to change such items as the size of the squares in the puzzle grid or the shading pattern used for the squares around the words.
Changing The Crossword Puzzle Text
==================================
The Text menu allows you to modify the type styles used in the crossword puzzle. The font, point size, and type face of the clues, puzzle grid text, and puzzle grid numbers can each be changed.
Printing A Crossword Puzzle
===========================
You can print a crossword puzzle at any time it is open by choosing Print... from the File menu.
You can preview what a puzzle will look like on paper by choosing Preview... from the File menu. This will allow you to see how the clues and puzzle grid will be arranged and whether they will fit on one page or not. The preview dialog box will initially show printouts reduced so that the entire page can be seen, but you can zoom the display so that the preview is full-size. This option is not only a great paper saver but a great time saver as well.
Final Notes
===========
This file essentially covered entering a word list, generating a puzzle, and printing it out. CrossPuzzler and CrossPuzzler-Demo allow you to manually create crossword puzzles as well should you wish to enter a puzzle from a magazine or newspaper to solve on the computer. Also, word lists do not have to be entered in CrossPuzzler. You can create a word list with just about any word processing, spreadsheet, or database program. Just place one word and clue on each line, and separate them with a tab character. Then save the word list as a text file. You can open the text file by choosing Text File from the File Format menu in the Open dialog box.
Good luck. Have fun. We'll be waiting for your order.
