Question 1

Can I get an overview of what Puzzle Maker Pro can do for me?

Accepted Answer

This is a short overview video of the features and functions of Puzzle Maker Pro.

Question 2

How to use the Layout Options in Time Saver

Accepted Answer

Layout Options for Time Saver

This tutorial presents a short overview of the Layout Options in Time Saver. Currently this feature is available in:

Time Saver for Sudoku

Using the Layout Options

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/rfFO6lmpgA/Layout%20Options%20for%20Time%20Saver%20Overview.jpg (Layout Options for Time Saver Overview)

There are four different options:

Layout: the actual Page Layout for the puzzles. This can change for each row in the table with puzzles. The value shown at the top (in the Layout Options section) will be used when you add a new row
Collate: Print puzzles first, and solutions later
New Page for Section (Puzzle / Solution): start puzzles and/or solutions for the new puzzle type (row in the table) on a new page. This allows you to add pages, e.g. with a chapter heading or with a short tutorial for the puzzle type

Editing the Page Layout

The Layout will be shown as P:3x2, S3x2 or P/S:3x2. P stands for Puzzle pages, S for Solution pages. If you don't use collation, the code "P/S" will be used - in that case puzzles and solutions will be printed using the same layout.

To change the default layout (in the Layout Options section), click "Edit Layout". To change the layout for a single row in the table, click the cell containing the layout. (In the example that would be the last cell in each row, containing the text "P:3x2, S3x2".

This will display the window to edit the layout:

Question 3

How to Use the Time Saver for Latin Squares

Accepted Answer

This tutorial explains how to use the Time Saver for Latin Squares.

Time Saver Features

For each puzzle module, the Time Saver Add-On will unlock different options for faster puzzle creation, as well as advanced Page Layout options.

Time Saver - Fast

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/8QhVGxud68/Latin%20Squares%20Time%20Saver%20Screenshot%20Steps.png (Latin Squares Time Saver Screenshot Steps.png)

Make sure "Use Time Saver to generate Puzzles" is checked (1). You'll see the text on the Create button change from "Create" to "Create (TS)" (5), where TS stands for Time Saver.
Choose a Grid Size, Difficulty level and Quantity, and click "Add Row" (2). This will add a row to the table. You can edit the settings for each row afterwards. (Note: The "Variation" option is not used yet)
If you want to edit the settings, click on the downward arrow next to the Grid Size in a row, or click one of the Difficulty or Quantity cells. (Note: if you select a higher difficulty level than is allowed for the grid size, it will use the highest available difficulty level. Example: If you select difficulty level 3 for 3x3 puzzles, it will still use difficulty level 1)
You can delete selected rows or select all rows from the table (4)
Click "Create (TS)" to create a puzzle books with your settings.

Time Saver - Presets

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/2JPeRZGDTr/Latin%20Squares%20Time%20Saver%20Presets%20screenshot%20Steps.png (Latin Squares Time Saver Presets screenshot Steps.png)

Make sure the "Use Time Saver to generate Puzzles" and the "Use Time Saver - Preset Puzzles" are checked
The list at the left should show all the presets for "Latin Squares" that you have saved. You can select one or multiple presets to use
Click Add Selected or Add All to add the presets to the list at the right
The list at the right will be used to create puzzles and optionally an Instant Puzzle Book. You can edit the quantity for each preset
Click "Create (TS)" to create puzzles and optional an Instant Puzzle Book from your presets.

Time Saver - Page Layout Options

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/q4mw0xmobJ/Puzzle%20Maker%20Pro%20-%20Time%20Saver%20-%20Layout%20Options.png (Puzzle Maker Pro - Time Saver - Layout Options.png)

You can choose to collate the puzzles and solutions (group all the puzzles together and group all the solutions together)
Set the number of Rows and Columns for your puzzles page. If you use Collate setting A, this layout will also be used for the solutions
Set the number of Rows and Columns for your solutions page
Optionally change the padding between the rows and columns

Question 4

How to Create Puzzle Books in Powerpoint with Mirrored Margins (video)

Accepted Answer

This video shows how to use the manual workflow in our Easy Puzzle Books or Mixed Puzzle Books plugins for Powerpoint to create interiors with Mirrored Margins.

Question 5

How Can I Change the Page Layout for Puzzle Maker Pro - Jigsaw?

Accepted Answer

This brief tutorial will explain the different layout options Puzzle Maker Pro - JigSaw.

Please be aware that the layout for this module is configured differently than for other modules in Puzzle Maker Pro. That is because the optimized positioning of the puzzle pieces depends directly on the page size.

Use Default Page Setup Settings

By default, this module will use the Trim Size and Margin settings that you configure at the "Output Settings / Page Format" tab.

If you use a Trim Size of 8 x 10" and 0.5" Margins on each side, there will be a 'page body' area left that is 7 x 9". This will be the size for the Puzzle Pieces:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/UbDEDEA56U/Jigsaw%20018%20-%20Page%20Setup%20Default.png (Jigsaw 018 - Page Setup Default.png)

If you change the Page Format and Preview / Create again, you'll get a differently sized image. If you use Time Saver, it will use the current settings when you run the Time Saver (not the settings when the puzzle preset was saved).

This is done to get the best looking puzzle page in your puzzle books.

However, sometimes you just want the images, not a puzzle book. In that case you can uncheck "Use Default Page Setup Settings" and choose the exact image size that you need (width and height in pixels). The next screenshot shows this:

Choosing Different Page Layouts

Puzzle Maker Pro - JigSaw supports three page layouts. These are selected in the "Puzzle Settings" tab, not in the global "Page Layout" tab.

Single Page
Double Page
Pieces Only

These different options have different impact on your book layout, and serve different purposes.

1 Single Page Layout

This style is used for most of the examples and tutorials. It will show the puzzle pieces and the puzzle grid on a single page.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/ju1lwUSyqJ/Jigsaw%20020%20-%20Layout%20Single%20Page.png (Jigsaw 020 - Layout Single Page.png)

This format is intended for copy / draw puzzles (not cut out puzzles). However, you can choose to "Add Blank Page after each puzzle", this will make sure the back of the page is blank. Additionally this will force the page to be printed on the right page of a spread, which may introduce another blank page before the current page.

2 Double Page Layout

The double page layout is also intended for copy / draw puzzles. In the preview you see the pieces page:

The Solution Preview will show you the layout and size of the puzzle grid (the solution is identical to the puzzle, except for the printed puzzle pieces):

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/Ght8pFkkvu/Jigsaw%20022%20-%20Layout%20Double%20Page%20Puzzle%20Pieces.png (Jigsaw 022 - Layout Double Page Puzzle Pieces.png)

The Double Page layout will force a new spread in your book, if required. The pieces will be printed on the left page of the spread, the puzzle grid will be printed on the right page.

The option to add a blank page will have no effect for this format.

3 Pieces Only Layout

The Pieces Only Layout is for cut out puzzles, the puzzle grid will not be included in the puzzle book. (The layout is identical to the first screenshot show for the Double Page Layout.

Just like the Single Page Layout, "Add Blank Page" will force the pieces to be printed on the right page of a spread, and it will keep the back of the page blank.

Question 6

How can I set the Page Layout in Puzzle Maker Pro?

Accepted Answer

You can use the Page Layout tab to choose the layout for your additional output. This is part of the Time Saver extension for the puzzle type you are using.

Puzzle Maker Pro Workflow explains the difference between puzzles and additional output.

How to set up the page layout for your puzzle pages

For most puzzles the general layouts will be used. For Word Search there are special layout settings, which are discussed below.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/ZDnAQQ5qAf/PMP%20-%20General%20-%20Page%20Layout.png (Puzzle Maker Pro Page Layouts for Puzzle Pages)

Collate setting: You can choose to print each solution directly with the puzzle (option A), or to print all the puzzles first and the solutions after. For collation option A, the number of puzzles on a page needs to be identical to the number of solutions on a page;
Puzzles Layout: You can select the layout you need, ranging from 1 puzzle on a page, up to 12 puzzles on a page. (The exact number of layouts may be different from the screenshot, since we add additional options on demand)
Solutions Layout: This works the same as the Puzzles layout, and sets how the solutions will be printed on output pages. For both the Puzzle and the Solution layout, you can click the little circle next to the number, or click the miniature layout symbol, to select a layout style.

How to set up the page layout for your Word Search puzzle pages

Word Search puzzles consist of a puzzle and a word list, requiring a different layout than for example mazes or sudokus.

You can choose from several page layouts for your Word Search puzzle pages:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/znLP52ae8X/PMP%20-%20Word%20Search%20-%20Page%20Layout.png (Puzzle Maker Pro Page Layouts for Word Search Puzzle Pages)

Choosing a layout style works just like the general layouts. As you can see in the miniatures, you can choose several placements for the puzzle and the word list
You can set the ratio between puzzle and word list. This can be adjusted manually to create a better visual result. By default, the puzzle gets 75% (3/4) of the available space, the word list gets 25% (1/4). For long word lists you can either change the number of columns, or this space ratio;
To get a little bit of variety, you can choose to mirror the pages. Each left page will get the selected layout, the right page will get a mirrored layout;
Word Columns: The number of columns to print the word list in. Together with the other options, you can use this to create well-designed puzzle pages.