Question 1

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 set up differently than for most other modules in Puzzle Maker Pro. That is because the optimized positioning of the puzzle pieces is dependent on the page size.

Use Default Page Setup Settings

By default, this module will use the Trim Size and Margin settings that you can 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 '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).

However, sometimes you just want the image, and not an entire 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:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/XbNdH6ZCgf/Jigsaw%20019%20-%20Page%20Setup%20Custom.png (Jigsaw 019 - Page Setup Custom.png)

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 print 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 jigsaw puzzles you can copy/draw, instead of the cut out jigsaw puzzles. If you do want the ability to cut out the pieces, choose to "Add Blank Page after each puzzle", a checkbox that is below the page layouts. 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:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/mDi9LsLDpH/Jigsaw%20021%20-%20Layout%20Double%20Page.png (Jigsaw 021 - Layout Double Page.png)

if you check "Preview Solution", it will instead show 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. 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. For this setting, this is optimal, so you don't accidentally cut up other puzzles on the back of the page.

How to combine several word lists

To use the Time Saver for Word Search, first select Word Search in the Puzzle Type menu. Then go to the Time Saver tab, and check the "Use Time Saver to generate Puzzles" option. You can see three tab areas in this window: Main, Word Lists, and Batch Creation.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/dWdiBDgxzM/PMP%20-%20Word%20Search%20-%20Time%20Saver%201.png (Combine Word Lists for multiple word search puzzles)

Here you can choose to combine multiple word lists, or create separate puzzles for each word list. This will allow you to mix several themed or generic word lists.

There are other - advanced - options on this Main tab, we'll skip these for now.

How to set up the word lists in the Time Saver for Word Search

The next step is to select one or more word lists. These are word lists on your computer. You can select as many lists as you need.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/oV9yEk18it/PMP%20-%20Word%20Search%20-%20Time%20Saver%202.png (PMP - Word Search - Time Saver 2.png)

Depending on your settings in the first step, these word lists will be combined or used separately.

How to create a batch of Word Search puzzles with the Time Saver

There are two different ways to specify how to create word search puzzles with the Time Saver.

Fast (legacy) will quickly create rectangular puzzles for you, using the styling options on the Puzzle Settings Panel
Preset Puzzles will create puzzles from your own presets, offering you more options to set styling for individual puzzles, as well as the option to use shaped word search puzzles. You can create Presets in any version of Word Search. You can create presets here with masks, special sizes, or other style options.

How to create Word Search puzzles using the Fast option

This (legacy) Time Saver for Word Search will create rectangular or square word search puzzles from your word lists.

You can specify several formats and quantities, in the screenshot you will see the default configuration to create 20 puzzles in a 15x15 grid.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/UiTTHlMnae/PMP%20-%20Word%20Search%20-%20Time%20Saver%20-%20Fast.png (PMP - Word Search - Time Saver - Fast.png)

You can add several rows with instructions, to create several different puzzles with one mouse-click. These options include the amount of words allowed in the puzzle, and if diagonals or backwards words are allowed, for extra difficulty.

Note: If you chose to separate puzzles per word list on the Main tab, you'll get 20 puzzles for each word list (in this example). If you merge all word lists, you'll just get 20 puzzles.

How to create Word Search puzzles using the Preset Puzzles option

This Time Saver for Word Search will create word search puzzles using the presets you have saved. It will replace the word lists but will use all the styling options and the puzzle shape.

To use this option, you'll have to create your own presets for Word Search puzzles. You can create presets in the Puzzle Settings tab.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/ZOqUGHrQOJ/PMP%20-%20Word%20Search%20-%20Time%20Saver%20-%20Presets.png (PMP - Word Search - Time Saver - Presets.png)

You'll have to select the "Use Time Saver - Preset Puzzles" option to activate this module. You can select as many presets as you need.

Color Selection

In Puzzle Maker Pro you can set the canvas, line and font color for most puzzles using a little rectangle, like the one shown here:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/ns1DnajCgp/Color%20Selection%20Options.jpg (Color Selection Options.jpg)

You can set the color in several ways:

Add the color RGB code in either decimal or hexadecimal numbers. This allows you to match the colors exactly to other illustrations or style options
Add or edit the color by setting the HSL numbers (Hue, Saturation, Lightness)
Click the rainbow panel (or the black or the white panel on top of it). Clicking the rainbow panel will change the two panels below it to match the selected color
Click the Saturation panel. This is the middle panel, which shows colors from totally gray (unsaturated) to bright blue (fully saturated)
Click the Lumination panel. This is the bottom panel, and shows colors from white to blue to black
You can also click the "Windows Color Picker" button, this allows you to use the standard Windows Color picker to select or edit colors
Click "Use" to use the selected color.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/ulL8O24x8S/Windows%20Color%20Picker.jpg (Windows Color Picker.jpg)

Font Options

In most cases, whenever there's a font to be used in a puzzle, you'll see a font preview panel, that shows the current font, and allows you to select a different font:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/27b9z2HXAq/Font%20Preview%20Panel.jpg (Font Preview Panel.jpg)

Clicking on the white area or on the looking glass button will display the Font Setup window:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/yNvF8ZoU5t/Font%20Setup%20Options.jpg (Font Setup Options.jpg)

This window has several options. (Due to ongoing updates and additions, some options may not be used yet for certain puzzles. Please let me know (with a helpdesk ticket) whenever there's something that you need that doesn't work yet.

Changes will be immediately reflected in the preview panel at the right.

From top to bottom:

Font Selection dropdown menu - you can select a font from the list, or use the built-in font browser to see previews of all the fonts, by clicking the looking glass button
Font Color - set the color for the font, using the Color Selection Dialog
Bold - May set the font type to Bold
Letter Case - This will let the letters unchanged, or force Uppercase or Lowercase use in the puzzle
Relative Font Size - By default the font will be sized proportionally to the squares or shapes in the puzzle, leaving enough margin at the top, bottom and sides. However, you can use this slider to make the font larger or smaller
Move Horizontally / Vertically - Allows you to position the letters in the squares. You may need this when changing from lowercase to uppercase (uppercase letters are all positioned above the font baseline, which may look strange in a puzzle). Also, many free fonts are not scaled or aligned properly, and you can use these settings to correct that

Built-in Font Browser

In most Puzzle Maker Pro modules (except the oldest ones), you can also use the built-in Font Browser to preview and select a font.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/AFYO3NRioX/Built-in%20Font%20Browser.jpg (Built-in Font Browser.jpg)

Here you can see a number of fonts at once. You can:

Use the Search field to type a part of a font name
Use the font list at the left, and the scroll bar, to quickly move around in the list of fonts
Use the grid Size options at the lower left to change how many fonts are shown in the grid at the right
Use the little looking glass icon for each font to open a larger zoomable preview of the font
Use the little check mark for a font to select and use that font

Note: The Font Browser is also available as a separate purchase, which doesn't require Puzzle Maker Pro

Question 5

How to set up Word Lists for Crossword Variations

Accepted Answer

This tutorial shows how to set up Word Lists for Crossword Variations. It applies to:

Introduction

There are quite a few options to add information to your word lists and word list files. If you want more and specific control over the puzzles that are created, you can use all of the options. Alternatively, Puzzle Maker Pro - Crossword Variations can also generate puzzles when you only provide the words.

For example, a word list consisting of just a list of animals:

You can save it just like this in a text file, e.g. animals.txt, and use this to create puzzles. Puzzle Maker Pro can use the built-in dictionary to retrieve clues (descriptions). You can use the word fill or word scramble options, which only need these words.

Word Descriptions

For more control, you can also add the clues for each word, like this:

As you can see, the words and clues are separated by a colon (":"). Optionally you can add multiple clues for each word, Puzzle Maker Pro will randomly pick one of the clues when needed.

Adding Secret Words or Phrases

For certain puzzle types, such as the acrostic puzzles, you can add a secret word or phrase. Use the tag "#secret", as in this example:

For acrostic puzzles, you can also choose to randomly use a word from the word list as the secret word.

Word Sets in a single file

It's possible to add multple word lists in a single file, however, it is usually more flexible to save each word list in its own file.

For each word set, wether it's in a separate file or combined in a single file, you can set a title and description, which can be used with certain puzzle types.

Multiple word lists in a single file can be separated by blank lines:

Introduction

Secret Word Column is an acrostic Crossword puzzle where a list of words is printed, and one column contains a secret word.

There are many different types of Secret Word and Letter Hint Crossword puzzles. Secret Word Column is the name we give to the type of Secret Word Crossword where a list of words is shown, and a single 'secret' word can be found in one of the columns.

Secret Word and Letter Hints Settings

For Secret Word Column puzzles, the "Secret Word" option is always enabled, since this is the main characteristic of the puzzle.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/9BhHyojE8q/Secret-Word-Column-Default%20.png (Secret Word Column Puzzle Screenshot)

Additionally, you can add "Alphabet Hints", which will make the puzzle easier to solve:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/ACCXtPsVgu/Secret-Word-Column-Letter-Hints.png (Secret Word Column with Letter Hints)

In this screenshot you see a different puzzle, and all the small numbers in the puzzle. Each number corresponds with a single letter. The numbers are randomly assigned to the letters, so each puzzle will have a different key.

Image Options

When you use the additional image options (for social media images, etc), you can specify which information is used for the image title and description:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/sgIsI2L3iE/Secret-Word-Column-Image-Settings.png (Secret-Word-Column-Image-Settings)

For both the Title Description you can use the Word Set Title, Word Set Description, Secret Word Description (Clue) or a Custom word or phrase.

Using the Tile Multiplier for mazes 2D Tiles

The Tile Multiplier Add-On can be used to create extra tiles based on the base tiles you use as input. This add-on only works with Puzzle Maker Pro - Mazes 2D Tiles.

There are two main options:

Complement images if Missing - this is used for square mazes.
Convert Square Images to Isometric format - this is used for isometric mazes.

In addition to that, there's a slider you can use for troubleshooting.

Complement Images if Missing

Tile Multiplier will add tiles for you if you feed it a minimum set of five or six tiles. You don't have to buy Tile Multiplier to use Mazes 2D Tiles, you can also draw each tile yourself, or use options in File Explorer on Windows (or the Mac/Linux equivalent) to copy and rotate the images yourself.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/NZYEskvKhJ/Square%20Tile%20Minimum.jpg (Square Tile Minimum)

Minimum tiles required

The minimum set consists of a tile for each of the options above:

1: dead-end
12: top-right corner
13: Tom-bottom straight line
123: Top-right-bottom split
1234: crossing
0: This tile is optional, but would be used for tiles that have no connection at all. Empty tiles in isometric mazes are an optional setting.

Note: Don't forget to create images for the start (code: s-) and end (code: e-) tiles. THese are not processed by Tile Multiplier.

From the minimum tile set it will create a full set of tiles:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/6c7sgi35s4/Square%20Tiles%20Tile%20Multiplier.jpg (Square Tiles Tile Multiplier)

It will copy and rotate tile 1, to create tiles 2, 3, and 4. It will do the same with the other tiles that it was given.

Convert Square Images to Isometric Format

The Tile Multiplier can create isometric tiles from your square tiles. It can't create new isometric tiles from other isometric tiles.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/INGDEjNHem/tile%20multiplier%20for%20isometric.jpg (tile multiplier for isometric)

An example of the Tile Multiplier to create a full set of isometric tiles from a limited set of square tiles:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/4e6G2BYeBY/tile%20multiplier%20limited%20tile%20set.jpg (tile multiplier limited tile set)

Without the Tile Multiplier, this set of 7 tiles would result in the following maze:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/h8hHMNsNaz/Tile%20multiplier%20missing%20tiles.jpg (Tile multiplier missing tiles)

The Tile Multiplier can fix this, and add the other tiles, to create the following result:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/D9xaTiS1nC/Tile%20multiplier%20fix%20square%20tiles.jpg (Tile multiplier fix square tiles)

Something similar happens if you don't convert your tiles to isometric:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/owXO8fAdXE/isometric%20maze%20using%20square%20tiles.jpg (isometric maze using square tiles)

This maze does not look isometric at all, and the solution path is not connecting to any of the paths. After telling tile multiplier to convert the tiles to isometric, this would be the result:

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/GurMzLm7Fw/Tile%20multiplier%20isometric.jpg (Tile multiplier isometric)

This looks a lot better.

Introduction

The time saver does exactly what it says on the tin: It saves you time. It does so by allowing you to batch create puzzles. You get less control over the details, but if you have your lists set up, you can create puzzles much faster than if you did it manually.

Sounds pretty nifty right? Let's switch to the Time-Saver tab, and see how it's done.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/3c06l0tQ5l/Time%20Saver%20Criss.jpg (Time Saver Criss)

Main Options

The main options are very similar to the style panel in the normal version. You can choose the font size. Here you can select a uniform font size for every puzzle, or a variable font size. It's automatically on variable. This way, if you create multiple criss cross puzzles with different sizes, it will automatically look for the optimal font size.

You can also select "One Size Fits All", where it uses the largest possible font size that fits in every puzzle. This can create funky looks if you're using multiple very different sizes, but it also creates a more uniform look in terms of font.

Third, you can select the fixed font size. Everything will be the font size you select. If you know how big your puzzles are, and what size font you're going to need, or if you are creating books for people with sight problems, you could want this. However, keep in mind that if your math is off, this can create very strange effects.

Next, you can select the puzzle alignment. Because it's near impossible to create puzzles that fit exactly within the grid size you chose, you can choose your own alignment for the puzzles. You can choose to have them all aligned at the top, the bottom, the middle, and if you want them aligned to the left side of the page, the right side, or, again, the middle. You can also choose to align the words with the puzzle.

Word List Options

Now for the fun part: Adding word lists! Add as many or as few word lists as you want (1).

Reminder: for this software, you want the word lists to have a colon in between the word and the description. As you can see in the starting screen of the crossword module, you want your word lists formatted like this:

BookPublisherTools: Popular software company

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/h7dt7oEZy5/time%20saver%20word%20lists.jpg (time saver word lists)

You can set if the word lists can be merged or not (3). If you have themed word lists and want to create themed puzzles, you probably don't want to mix them. However, if the puzzles do not have a theme, merging them can create more unique puzzles, which is good too.

You can also choose if a word can be re-used (2). Using auto or repeat, the wordlists will slowly be used, and words cannot be reused. With repeat, they can be reused.

Puzzle Control Options

Time for batch creation! This is the fun part of the time saver. You've done your prep work, now you can select how many puzzles you want, what the sizes of the puzzles are, you can load in presets, et cetera.

Simply change the quantity(1), select the size you want(2), and click "add" (3) to add them to the list of puzzles the software has to make.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/c4YWdAVw57/adding%20a%20puzzle.jpg (adding a puzzle)

If you've made presets for criss cross crosswords in the past, you can load those in too!

You can select which word lists each batch pulls from, or if it doesn't really matter and they can pull from everything here too, and you can change the amount of words that can be in each puzzle. Simply change those settings after you've added them to the list.

Then finally, you just click "Create (TS)" to generate all the puzzles! Don't forget to make sure you have "use Time Saver to generate puzzles" (located at the top of the screen) selected.

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/wuGqS3zSeN/resources/9HWj6wUWdq/timesaver%20lists.jpg (timesaver lists)

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

How to use the Time Saver extension for Word Search

How to use the Time Saver for Puzzle Maker Pro - Word Puzzles

How to Set Colors and Font Options with Puzzle Maker Pro

How to set up Word Lists for Crossword Variations

How to create Secret Word and Letter Hint puzzles with Puzzle Maker Pro - Secret Word Column

How can I create Nonogram puzzles?

Using the Tile Multiplier for Mazes 2D Tiles

How to use the Time Saver for Puzzle Maker Pro - Crossword

How can I add those little Monthly Tables in Ultimate Planner Maker