 Crossword Wizard 2.0 Help Index

See also:

 How to.

Commands

File menu

Edit menu

View menu

Compose menu

Solve menu

Window menu

Help menu


How to...

Move around the puzzle

Save and Resume later

Switch between Solving and Composing

Change a puzzle's title

Make a puzzle from a word list

Manage word lists

Print your puzzles

Turn your puzzle into an Internet Web Page

Record Spoken Clues

Troubleshoot Sound (Windows only)

How to contact Cogix


File menu commands

The File menu offers the following commands:

New	Creates a new puzzle.
Open	Opens an existing puzzle.
Close	Closes a puzzle.
Save	Saves a puzzle using its original file name.
Save As	Saves a puzzle under a specified file name.
Save As Web Page	Turns the puzzle into an interactive Web page.
Print	Prints a puzzle.
Print Preview	Displays the puzzle on the screen as it would appear printed.
Print Setup	Selects a printer and printer connection.
Exit	Exits Crossword Wizard.


Edit menu
Edit menu commands

The Edit menu offers the following commands:

Undo	Reverse previous editing operation.
Copy	Copies the puzzle or the clues to the clipboard for other applications.
Clear	Removes all letters and, if composing, all clues


View menu
View menu commands

The View menu offers the following commands:

Show Clue Numbers	Shows or hides clue numbers in puzzle and clue lists.
Toolbar	Shows or hides the toolbar.
Status Bar	Shows or hides the status bar.
Zoom 75%	Makes the letters in puzzle smaller than usual.
Zoom 100%	Makes the letters in puzzle normal size.
Zoom 125%	Makes the letters in puzzle larger than usual.
Font	Changes the puzzle font on the display only; use Zoom to enlarge or reduce.  In Idea Wizard, changes font and size. To change print fonts, use Tools/Format.


composing steps
Compose menu commands

The Compose menu offers the following commands which are useful at various stages of the puzzle composition process:

Reveal progress	Reveals the Wizards thinking while it is composing a puzzle.
Fill In	Automatically fills in empty puzzle squares with letters. This may take a while. To peek at what they are, use Reveal Progress above.
Edit Clues	Brings up the dialog box that you use to write and edit clues, as well as to record sound clues.
Make Clues Automatically	Automatically composes clues for any words that dont have any.
Stop!	Stops the fill-in progress.  The Esc key will do this as well
Lock	Locks up the puzzle so it cannot ever be modified again.
Solve	Disables the Compose menu and enables the Solve menu, so that you can then Save or solve the puzzle.
See also Solve and Compose


Window menu commands

The Window menu offers the following commands, which enable you to arrange multiple views of multiple puzzles:

Cascade	Arranges windows in an overlapped fashion.
Tile	Arranges windows in non-overlapped tiles.
Hide All	Makes the program invisible (Windows only)
Window 1, 2, ...	Goes to specified window.


Help menu commands

The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide you assistance with this application:

How to	Shows how to do things.
Index	Offers you an index to topics on which you can get help.
Using Help	Provides general instructions on using help.
About	Displays version information.


File New command
New Puzzle command (File menu)

This command will bring up the New Crossword dialog box.

You can open an existing puzzle with the Open command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+N


Theme wizard
Theme Wizard dialog box

In this dialog box you type a letter and the scrollable list will display all themes that the Wizard knows about that start with that letter.  Click on one of them and press OK, and those words will be copied to the puzzles word list.

This gives you an excellent way to get started with a word list; you can add other words and/or clues to it, and save it for later reference as well.


Print, Preview and Copy appearance
Print, Preview and Copy Options dialog box

With the controls in this dialog, you can make the printed line width thicker or thinner, change the appearance of dark squares from solid black, to grey, to hatched patterns.  Note that only darker shades enlarge reliably.

The Font button lets you change the typeface and size of the puzzle letters.  On the screen, the size of the letters will not change (use the View/Zoom menu commands to do that).  On Print Preview and Print, however, you will see the changes.   When you change the Font size, the entire puzzle and clues are enlarged or reduced accordingly, whether printing, previewing, or copying to the clipboard.


Font dialog box

This dialog lets you change the typeface, emphasis and size of the letters in the puzzle.

When invoked from the Format dialog, this changes the size and appearance of the letters in the crossword as well as the clues; all puzzle elements are enlarged or reduced automatically, whether Previewing, Printing, or Copying to the clipboard.

When invoked from the View / Font menu while viewing the puzzle, this changes the appearance of the puzzle letters only.  To enlarge them or reduce them, use View / Zoom.

When invoked from the View / Font menu while viewing the Idea Wizard, this changes the appearance and size of the text, which can also be copied and pasted.


Word Builder Lookup dialog
Word Builder Lookup dialog box

This dialog lets you enter a partial word, using spaces or question marks (?) to indicate missing letters.  This is useful for guessing words in printed crosswords, for example.

Type A??TE and youll get ABATE, ACUTE, AGATE, ALATE, ARETE and AZOTE.


New Crossword dialog box

This dialog contains four main buttons, one for each main thing you can do with Crossword Wizard.  It also contains an Exit button, which will quit the program, and a Close button.

Note that from this dialog, you cannot use the menu or the button bar; to get to these, you must first close this dialog with the Close button.  To bring this dialog back, select the New command from the File menu, or press the New Crossword button shown below:


File Open command
Open command (File menu)

Use this command to open a previously saved puzzle in a new window using the File Open dialog box.  You can open more than one puzzle at once.  Use the Window menu to switch among the multiple open puzzles.  See Window 1, 2, ... command.

You can create new puzzles with the New command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+O


File Open dialog box

The following options allow you to specify which file to open:

File Name

Type or select the filename you want to open.  This box lists files with the extension you select in the List Files of Type box.

List Files of Type

You can only use Crossword Wizard .xwd files for puzzles, or .txt files for word lists in Windows. On the Macintosh, the files are of type CgXP and TEXT, respectively.

Drives

Select the drive which stores the file that you want to open.

Directories

Select the directory which contains the file that you want to open.

Network...

Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.


File Close command
Close command (File menu)

Use this command to close the puzzle you are working on.  Crossword Wizard suggests that you save changes to your puzzle before you close it.  If you close a puzzle without saving, you lose all changes made since the last time you saved it.  Before closing an untitled puzzle, Crossword Wizard displays the Save As dialog box and suggests that you name and save the puzzle.

You can also close a puzzle by using the Close icon on the puzzle's window, as shown below:


File Save command
Save command (File menu)

Use this command to save the active puzzle to its current name and directory.  When you save a puzzle for the first time, Crossword Wizard displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your puzzle.  If you want to change the name and directory of an existing puzzle before you save it, choose the Save As command.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+S


File Save As command
Save As command (File menu)

Use this command to save and name the active puzzle.  Crossword Wizard displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your puzzle.

To save a puzzle with its existing name and directory, use the Save command.


File Save As dialog box

The following options allow you to specify the name and location of the file you're about to save:

File Name

Type a new filename to save a puzzle under. Crossword Wizard adds the extension .xwd to puzzles, or .txt to word lists in Windows.  On the Macintosh, the files are of type CgXP and TEXT, respectively.

Drives

Select the drive in which you want to store the puzzle.

Directories

Select the directory in which you want to store the puzzle.

Network...

Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.


File Print command
Print command (File menu)

Use this command to print a puzzle.   This command presents a Print Dialog box, where specify what portions of the puzzle you want printed.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+P


Print Progress Dialog

The Printing dialog box is shown while Crossword Wizard is sending output to the printer.  The page number indicates the progress of the printing.

If you dont want to print, choose Cancel.


File Print Preview command
Print Preview command (File menu)

Use this command to display the puzzle as it would appear when printed.  When you choose this command, the main window will be replaced with a print preview window in which one or two pages will be displayed in their printed format.  The print preview toolbar offers you options to view either one or two pages at a time; move back and forth through the pages; zoom in and out of pages; and initiate a print job.

The options available are described in the Print dialog box.


Print Preview toolbar

The print preview toolbar offers you the following options:

Print

Bring up the print dialog box, to start a print job.

Next Page

Preview the next printed page.

Prev Page

Preview the previous printed page.

One Page / Two Page

Preview one or two printed pages at a time.

Zoom In

Take a closer look at the printed page.

Zoom Out

Take a larger look at the printed page.

Close

Return from print preview to the editing window.


File Print Setup command
Print Setup command (File menu)

Use this command to select a printer and a printer connection.  This command presents a Print Setup dialog box, where you specify the printer and its connection.


Print Setup dialog box

The following options allow you to select the destination printer and its connection.

Printer

Select the printer you want to use.  Choose the Default Printer; or choose the Specific Printer option and select one of the current installed printers shown in the box.  You install printers and configure ports using the Windows Control Panel.

Orientation

Choose Portrait or Landscape.

Paper Size

Select the size of paper that the document is to be printed on.

Paper Source

Some printers offer multiple trays for different paper sources.  Specify the tray here.

Options

Displays a dialog box where you can make additional choices about printing, specific to the type of printer you have selected.

Network...

Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.


File 1, 2, 3, 4 command
1, 2, 3, 4 command (File menu)

Use the numbers and filenames listed at the bottom of the File menu to open the last four puzzles you most recently closed.  Choose the number that corresponds with the puzzle you want to open.


File Exit command
Exit command (File menu)

Use this command to leave Crossword Wizard.  You can also use the Close command on the application Control menu.  Crossword Wizard prompts you to save puzzles with unsaved changes.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Double-click the Control menu button.

Keys:	ALT+F4


undo
Undo command (Edit menu)

Use this command to restore the puzzle letters you have guessed to what they were before you typed a guess.

Shortcuts

Keys:	CTRL+Z or

ALT-BACKSPACE


Copy command (Edit menu)

Use this command to copy selected portions of the puzzle onto the clipboard using the Copy to Clipboard Dialog Box. Copying data to the clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.

Shortcuts

Keys:	CTRL+C


Edit Clear Command
Clear command (Edit menu)

Removes all letters from the puzzle, restoring it to its original unsolved state.

If used while composing, all clue text is removed as well.


Show Clue Numbers
Show Clue Numbers (View menu)

Use this toggle command to display or hide the clue numbers.  When display is off, you can still tell what word goes with what clue by looking at the highlighted letters and the highlighted clue.


View Toolbar command
Toolbar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Toolbar, which includes buttons for some of the most common commands in Crossword Wizard.  A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Toolbar is displayed.

See Toolbar for help on using the toolbar.


Toolbar

The toolbar is displayed across the top of the application window, below the menu bar.  The toolbar provides quick mouse access to many tools used in Crossword Wizard,

To hide or display the Toolbar, choose Toolbar from the View menu (ALT, V, T).


View Status Bar Command
Status Bar command (View menu)

Use this command to display and hide the Status Bar, which describes the action to be executed by the selected menu item or depressed toolbar button, and other information. A check mark appears next to the menu item when the Status Bar is displayed.

See Status Bar for help on using the status bar.


Status Bar

The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the Crossword Wizard window.  To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the View menu.

The left area of the status bar describes actions of menu items as you use the arrow keys to navigate through menus.  This area similarly shows messages that describe the actions of toolbar buttons as you depress them, before releasing them.  If after viewing the description of the toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, then release the mouse button while the pointer is off the toolbar button.

The right areas of the status bar indicate the following:


Cascade command (Window menu)

Use this command to arrange multiple opened windows in an overlapped fashion.


Tile command (Window menu)

Use this command to arrange multiple opened windows in a non-overlapped fashion.


Window Hide All command (Window menu)
Window Hide All command (Window menu)(Windows only)

This command removes Crossword Wizard from the screen completely, making it practically invisible, for privacy.  To restore visibility, cycle through the programs in Windows by holding down the Alt key and pressing the using the Alt-Tab key.  When you come to a program which doesnt have a title or an icon, that is Crossword Wizard; release the Alt key and youll be back doing crosswords.

When you first use this command, an explanatory dialog box with a summary of the above will pop up.  Checking the Stop Showing this Message box will make it go away in the future.


1, 2, ... command (Window menu)

Crossword Wizard displays a list of currently open puzzle windows at the bottom of the Window menu.  A check mark appears in front of the puzzle name of the active window.  Choose a puzzle from this list to make its window active.


Index command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the opening screen of Help.  From the opening screen, you can jump to step-by-step instructions for using Crossword Wizard and various types of reference information.

Once you open Help, you can click the Contents button whenever you want to return to the opening screen.


Using Help command (Help menu)

Use this command for instructions about using Help.


System Information Panel
System Information Panel (Windows only)

This panel, which is accessed from the System button in the About dialog box, shows whether Crossword Wizard can successfully recognize your sound system components for playing different types of files, as well as the amount of memory available.

See also Troubleshooting sound


About command (Help menu)

Use this command to display the version number, credits and copyright notices of your copy of Crossword Wizard.


Title Bar

The title bar is located along the top of a window.  It contains Crossword Wizard and the current puzzles name.

To move the window, drag the title bar.  Note: You can also move dialog boxes by dragging their title bars.

A title bar contains the following elements:

Application Control-menu button

Document Control-menu button

Maximize button

Minimize button

Name of the application

Name of the puzzle

Restore button


Scroll bars

Displayed at the right and bottom edges of the puzzle window.  The scroll boxes inside the scroll bars indicate your vertical and horizontal location in the puzzle.  You can use the mouse to scroll to other parts of the puzzle.

The bars are only present in large puzzles.  You can use them to move from one section of the puzzle to another, or from one section of the clues to another.  By clicking on a letter or a clue, the other window (the clues or the letters) automatically moves the other portion into the visible region.


Size command (System menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can size the active window with the arrow keys.

After the pointer changes to the four-headed arrow:

1.	Press one of the DIRECTION keys (left, right, up, or down arrow key) to move the pointer to the border you want to move.

2.	Press a DIRECTION key to move the border.

3.	Press ENTER when the window is the size you want.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Drag the size bars at the corners or edges of the window.


Move command (Control menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow so you can move the active window or dialog box with the arrow keys.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.


System Minimize Command
Minimize command (application Control menu)

Use this command to reduce the Crossword Wizard window to an icon.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the minimize icon [image] on the title bar.


Maximize command (System menu)

Use this command to enlarge the active window to fill the entire screen.

Shortcut

Mouse:	Click the maximize icon [image] on the title bar; or double-click the title bar.


Next Window command (Document Control menu)

Use this command to switch to the next open puzzle window.  Crossword Wizard determines which window is next according to the order in which you opened the windows.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+TAB


Previous Window command (Document Control menu)

Use this command to switch to the previous open puzzle window.  Crossword Wizard determines which window is previous according to the order in which you opened the windows.

Shortcut

Keys:	SHIFT+CTRL+TAB


Close command (Control menus)

Use this command to close the active window or dialog box.

Double-clicking a Control-menu box is the same as choosing the Close command.

Shortcuts

Keys: 	CTRL+F4 closes a puzzle window

ALT+F4 closes Crossword Wizard or any dialog box.


Restore command (Control menu)

Use this command to return the active window to its size and position before you chose the Maximize or Minimize command.


Switch to command (application Control menu)

Use this command to display a list of all open applications.  Use this "Task List" to switch to or close an application on the list.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+ESC

Dialog Box Options

When you choose the Switch To command, you will be presented with a dialog box with the following options:

Task List

Select the application you want to switch to or close.

Switch To

Makes the selected application active.

End Task

Closes the selected application.

Cancel

Closes the Task List box.

Cascade

Arranges open applications so they overlap and you can see each title bar.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Tile

Arranges open applications into windows that do not overlap.  This option does not affect applications reduced to icons.

Arrange Icons

Arranges the icons of all minimized applications across the bottom of the screen.


moving around
Moving around the puzzle

See also Status Bar.

The most important things to observe are:

The word in gray is the word you are guessing; the yellow square and the blinking arrow cursor point to the current letter within the word.

The arrow can be horizontal or vertical; to switch orientations, press Enter or double-click the left mouse button on a letter.

To enter your solution, just type in the letter you think is right.  To move the cursor, use the cursor keys or click once on a square with the left mouse button.

To correct, use the space bar, the backspace and delete keys, or the Undo command from the Edit menu.

Click once with the left mouse button on a clue in the Across or Down list of clues, and the cursor will be placed on that words letters.

The cursor normally moves to the next available square.  To move to the next clue, press Tab.

You can change the size of the puzzle or the clue windows by holding the left mouse button on the splitter bars between them and changing the window size until desired.


No Help Available

No help is available for this area of the window.


No Help Available

No help is available for this message box.


Select Puzzle Dialog Box

Select how difficult a puzzle you want, point to one, and press OK.


Automatic Composition Dialog Box
Let me make you a puzzle dialog box

Select how large a puzzle you want using Puzzle Size the radio buttons.  Smaller puzzles are almost instantaneously. Larger puzzles are harder and take longer to make, ranging from a few seconds on a fast machine (Pentium/PowerMacintosh), to minutes on a slower machine.

Select how difficult you want the clues to be using the Clues radio buttons.  Easier clues are more obvious; harder clues can be fairly obscure.

Select the Vocabulary Size using the radio buttons.  The smaller dictionary only works well for very small puzzles, which are perfect for younger kids, but will usually fail to construct a puzzle larger than 11 x 11.

While composing the puzzle, you will see a rainbow-colored progress display.  If you check the Reveal Progress check box, you will be able to peek at what letters and words the Crossword Wizard is trying to use.  Of course, this option may spoil some of the fun of solving the puzzle, but its there for your curiosity.

The Time Limit field specifies how long to allow before giving up; if the time elapses without building a complete puzzle, you will be asked whether to give up or not first.

Note that while the puzzle is being built you CAN continue with other tasks in other programs.

After the puzzle is constructed, clues are made, during which you will see a second rainbow-colored display.  Finally, the puzzle is cleared, the clues are displayed, and the puzzle is ready for you to solve.


Crossword Wizard Dialog Box
Making a puzzle from a word list

Use the Crossword Wizard dialog to construct a puzzle for your friends or associates.  There are two kinds of puzzles you can make: Classical and Free Form.

Classical puzzles are puzzles you find in newspapers. They are symmetrical, have many fully interlocking words, dont allow two letter words or single letters, and are extremely difficult to make.  For this reason, you are only allowed to use no more than six of your own words and clues, and Crossword Wizard fills in the remaining squares with its own filler words, always using its 70,000 word vocabulary.  The resulting puzzles approach publication quality, and you can of course improve on them by modifying the words and clues.

Free Form puzzles dont have these restrictions. They are perfect for creating a puzzle from a precise list of words, such as the names of Presidents or the States of the Union.  Crossword Wizard will make a puzzle from just those words.  You can pick the Minimum and Maximum puzzle size youll allow, although chances for success are greater if you let the Wizard pick them.

In the Puzzle Title field, enter a descriptive or clever title for the puzzle.  For example, use Our Family, or Principles of Office.

In the large Edit box below the title is where you enter your words and clues, separated by an equal sign (=). For example:

autumn=the fall

winter=all wet

spring=renewal

summer=the beach

or,

John=the fairest

Marie=the smartest

Tim=the strongest

Lucy=most likely to succeed

Jean=most popular

Valerie=the treasurer

Harris=the leader

Remember that you can only use six words for a classical puzzle and 50 or more for a free-form puzzle.  If you dont provide clues for the words, youll have the option of stopping and adding them as you go.

Sometimes the Wizard will fail to make a puzzle; for example, in the names above, if you added Woz=Wizard to the list, the name Woz has no letters in common with any of the other words, so the puzzle is impossible to make.  When using just a few words, it occasionally happens that two words cant be connected to the rest.  In these cases, watch the progress messages which will tell you what words are likely to be the difficult ones.

Select the Vocabulary Size using the radio buttons.  This determines the vocabulary to use for filling in the remaining words when creating Classical puzzles The smaller dictionary only works well for very small puzzles, which are perfect for younger kids, but will usually fail to construct a puzzle larger than 11 x 11.

Pick the degree of clue difficulty using the Clues radio buttons.

Other fields are the same as in the Let me make you a puzzle dialog box.

See also managing word lists.


Managing word lists

You may want to start keeping and exchanging word lists with others.  The Open, Save, Clear, and Theme buttons help you do this.

The Theme button provides a quick way to start a thematic word list of related words.  Pick a theme, edit the words to your liking, and save the result using Save.  Use Open to retrieve a previously saved list of words. Use Clear to start over.  You can even tap into libraries of word lists, as available from Cogix.

Once you have settled on a word list, you can optionally add clues, and then ask the Wizard to make you a puzzle using the Crossword Wizard Dialog box


Puzzle Characteristics Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to change a puzzles title, or to construct a puzzle completely on your own.

This dialog is invoked from the Tools Menu.

Use the Title field to name the puzzle.

Use the Size radio buttons to determine the puzzle size.  Note that you cannot change the puzzle size after you start.  All puzzles are square.

Select the Vocabulary Size using the radio buttons.  The smaller dictionary only works well for very small puzzles, which are perfect for younger kids, but will usually fail to construct a puzzle larger than 11 x 11. This dictionary will be used for filling in words.

Pick the degree of clue difficulty using the Clues radio buttons.

Use the Symmetry radio buttons to specify if Crossword Wizard should automatically make your puzzle symmetrical by multiplying dark squares 2-fold or 4-fold.  2-Fold symmetry will make a puzzle that looks the same when turned upside down.  4-Fold symmetry will make a puzzle that looks the same when turned on either side as well.

Other fields are the same as in the Let me make you a puzzle dialog box.


Print Dialog Box

The check boxes in this dialog box lets you specify what to print.

Puzzle to fill in	Print a brand-new or partially completed puzzle, as shown on the screen.
Filled-in solution	Print the completed, filled-in solution on a different page.
Clue text	Print the clues on the same page as the puzzle to fill in, if possible

The Format button lets you change the size, font, and appearance of the puzzle.

These options are useful for printing a puzzle and taking it on the train or airplane.

You can preview what the puzzle will look like by using Print Preview.

For customized printing using your favorite word processing or desktop publishing software, see Copy to Clipboard.


Copy to Clipboard dialog box

The Copy command of the Edit menu brings up this dialog box.  The radio buttons let you specify which element of the puzzle to copy to the clipboard:

Puzzle to fill in	Copies a brand-new or partially completed puzzle, as shown on the screen. The puzzle is a resizable Windows metafile or a resizable Macintosh PICT file.
Filled-in solution	Copies the completed, filled-in solution. This is a resizable Windows metafile or Macintosh PICT file also.
Clue text	Copies the puzzle title and clues as text, with no particular font or size.

Choose one of the three elements and press OK.  Then, switch to your favorite desktop publishing or word processing software (its normally not necessary to exit Crossword Wizard first, unless you have limited memory), open a document, go to the location where you want to insert the puzzle or clues, and choose the Paste command of the Edit menu.  This will insert the puzzle element in your document.

Depending on the sophistication of your publishing software, you are usually able to make the puzzles larger or smaller by grabbing the right hand corner and making them larger or smaller.  You can apply any formatting to the text that is appropriate.  With these features, you can include Crossword Wizards puzzles in Newsletters, advertisements, etc..

The Format button lets you change the size, font, and appearance of the puzzle on the clipboard, resizing the puzzle on the clipboard; this is useful when your publishing or word processing software wont cooperate and resize the puzzle image properly.


Edit Clues Dialog Box

This command is only available if the Compose menu is available.  If it is not, first use the Compose command of the Solve menu. The Edit Clues command of the Compose menu brings up this dialog box.

The Word and Clue Text fields display the current word and its clue, if one has already been entered.  To add a  clue or to edit a clue, just enter the clues text in the Clue Text field.

The Next and Previous buttons will move you to the next and previous clues.  In this way, you can enter clues for all words in the puzzle one after another, if you want.

If your system is capable of recording microphone sounds, the Record button will be available.  To record a clue, press Record, and follow the instructions. The clue will play back after recording.  When solving the puzzle, the clue will automatically play when it becomes the current clue.

You can erase or record over a clue anytime.  The clues are stored in the SOUND sub-directory. All clues for one puzzle have a similar prefix followed by a number; this allows you to move them from one system to another, if you desire.

Shortcut:

Mouse: 	When Compose commands are available, you can double-click the left mouse button on a clue in the clue windows, and this dialog will come up with the word and the clue you point at.

Toolbar:


word builder
Word Builder Dialog Box

This dialog box displays all words that will fit into the current (highlighted) word.  For example, if the highlighted word has four letters and starts with T and ends in T, the Word Builder will find 19 words beginning with TACT and ending in TWEE.

To use one of the listed words in the puzzle, double-click on it with the right mouse button, or select it with the cursor keys and press Enter, or point to it and press Use.


idea wizard
Idea Wizard Dialog Box

This dialog shows you how the Crossword Wizard comes up with its clues.  You can also use it to look up other ideas, by simply typing a starting word in the Idea field and pressing the Look Up button.

The Parts of Speech radio buttons change the Meanings display appropriately.  Some words have only one part of speech; many are nouns and verbs; some are all four, such as DOWN.


Solve and Compose

The Solve menu has a Compose command, and the Compose menu has a Solve command. The Compose command enables the Compose menu and disables the Solve menu; the Solve command disables the Compose menu and enables the Solve menu.

The Solve Menu provides options useful only while solving a puzzle; the letters in the puzzle are hidden, and only your guesses are seen.

The Compose Menu provides options useful only while composing a puzzle; the letters in the solution to the puzzle are visible, and any letters you may have guessed are discarded.

Unless you want to make your own puzzles, or modify a puzzle provided or created by Crossword Wizard, you will have no need for the Compose menu.


Solve Menu

This menu contains numerous options to help you solve the puzzle.  These options are excellent for inexperienced crossword solvers, and are likely to be shunned by seasoned aficionados.

Options that can be checked (on) or unchecked (off).  To turn on or off, point to the menu item with the mouse while holding the left button down and release the button.

Option	When checked:
Skip filled squares	The cursor jumps over squares that are already filled to the next empty square.
Remove guessed clues	Clues are removed from the clue window when all letters in the word are guessed (whether correctly or not!).
Highlight incorrect letters	Squares with incorrect letters are shown in an ochre color.
Warn of incorrect letters	The status bar displays a Yes! or a No! in a box on the right of the status bar after you type each letter, to let you know if it was correct or not. If your computer can play sounds, and the Spoken Tips option is on, you will  also hear various expressions like Ah-ha! and Uh-oh! to let you know if the letter was correct or not.
Warn of incorrect words	This option operates just like warn of incorrect letters above, but it only tells you if the entire word you have just completed is correct or not.
Reveal options	See Reveal Options.

See also Solve and Compose


reveal options
Reveal Options ( Solve menu)

The Reveal menu includes  the following commands, which are useful for showing you different amounts of the solution to the puzzle:

Reveal one word	Reveals the entire word at the cursor.
Reveal 1 letter	Reveals the next unguessed letter on or after the cursor.
Reveal all vowels	Reveals all vowels in the word at the cursor.
Reveal one vowel	Reveals the next unguessed vowel on or after the cursor.
Reveal all vowels	Reveals all vowels in the word at the cursor.
Reveal one consonant	Reveals the next unguessed consonant on or after the cursor.
Reveal complete solution	Reveals all remaining unguessed letters in the puzzle, finishing it.

Note that the Reveal options do NOT reveal letters which you have already guessed, and which may be incorrect guesses.  For that, use the Highlight Incorrect Letters option in the Solve menu.


Tools Menu

The Tools menu includes  the following commands:

Puzzle characteristics	Brings up a dialog box that lets you change the puzzle Title and other characteristics.
Format	Brings up a dialog box that lets you change the appearance of the puzzle when printing, previewing, or copying to the clipboard.
Word Builder	Finds possible answers to the word at the cursor
Idea Wizard	Brings up the Idea Wizard view, which lets you browse through the lexicon used by Crossword Wizard to compose its clues.

The Tools menu includes  the following toggle commands, which are useful for giving you on-going instructions on how to use the software.

Visual Tips	A marquee floats above your puzzle, with tips as to what the program is doing and what you may want to do next.
Spoken Tips	If your system is equipped with a sound card, this will give you spoken comments on what to do next and how well you are doing.  If this option is off, all sounds except music are turned off.
Music	If your sound system supports playing of MIDI music files, this activates background music for different times. (Windows only)

The Tools menu includes  the following toggle commands, which are useful for giving the puzzle a bit of an arcade game feeling.

Timer	A time display shows on the right of your status bar, showing how long you have taken to solve the current puzzle, in minutes and seconds.
Scoring	A scoreboard shows on the right of your status bar, which starts at 1,000 points and is increased or decreased depending on how well you guess the letters and how much help you need from the various tools..


Troubleshooting Sound
Troubleshooting Sound in Windows

On the Macintosh, the Spoken Tips and spoken clues options are available, but not the background Music option, because MIDI music is not typically available.  Since sound is integrated into the basic Macintosh, there is no special set of recommendations for how to use it.

In Windows, the Spoken Tips, Music and spoken clues options depend on having a suitable sound card installed and operating properly.  If you try these options and they dont do anything, or they are not available, please check this list before calling us for assistance.

Diagnostics check list

1. Make sure that your system can play sounds.  Using the File Manger, find and run Microsofts Media Player MPLAYER.EXE, located in the Windows directory.  If you dont have one, your system probably doesnt support sound at all or Windows has been incorrectly installed.

2. Can your system play WAV sounds?

From Media Player, use File / Open and look for the CHIMES.WAV file.  Open it and play it by pressing the large Play button.  If you dont hear a few pleasant bells, your system is not working correctly; it is likely that Media Player will give you an error diagnostic that can help you install your sound system properly.  If you do hear the bells, then the Spoken Tips option in Crossword Wizard should work properly.

3. Can your system play MIDI sounds?

From Media Player, use File / Open and look for the CANYON.MID file.  Open it and play it by pressing the large Play button.  If you dont hear a melody, look for an error diagnostic from Media Player that can help you install MIDI sound properly.  If you hear music, the Music option in Crossword Wizard should work properly. Note that not all sound cards can play MIDI sounds.

4. Can your system record WAV sounds?

Using File Manager, find and run Microsofts Sound Recorder SOUNDREC.EXE, located in the Windows directory. If you dont have one, your system probably doesnt record sound.

Use Sound Recorder and your microphone to record Hello.  If you succeed, the Spoken Clues options of Crossword Wizard should work properly. Note that some low-end cards cannot record sound.

5. Are all your drivers properly installed?

If you have been able to play WAV sounds, play MIDI sounds, and record WAV sounds as described above, your system is working fine and Crossword Wizard should be working fine also.   If you were unable to do any of the above, the following may help you pinpoint the problem.

Practically all sound systems require that sound drivers be installed in Windows from the Control Panel.  Bring up the Windows Control Panel from the Main program group, and start the Drivers program from the Control Panel. The Drivers list should include a driver for your card, with a name that includes the product or the manufacturers name:

Windows Sound System

SoundBlaster

AdLib

MediaVision

(These names change; they usually contain one of the above designations of the systems name.)

You should also see the following drivers installed:

[MCI] Sound	Needed for Visual Tips and recording Spoken Clues
[MCI] Midi Sequencer	Needed for playing Music (not all systems can)
MIDI Mapper	Needed for playing Music (not all systems can)
Timer	Needed for all sounds

If Media Player can play the files in the COGIX\SOUND directory, where the Crossword Wizard keeps its sound files, and the Crossword Wizard cant, there is an incompatibility that we would like to know about.  If Media Player cannot play these files, there is a problem with your sound system or with the way it is installed; please refer to the manufacturer of your sound card for support.

6. Can Crossword Wizard recognize what you have installed?

From the Help menu, choose About. In the About dialog box, press System.  This display will show you what capabilities have  been recognized by the system.


Saving and Resuming Later

If you cant finish a puzzle, save your work and continue later by:

1. Using the Save command of the File menu to save what you are doing.  If asked for a file name, give the puzzle a unique name, like TUESDAY.  Exit Crossword Wizard.

2. Later on, reopen Crossword Wizard.  Choose Close from the opening dialog, then choose the File menu and look to see if the 1 entry below contains the name of your puzzle (TUESDAY in this example.)  That will get you back to where you were before.

3. If the numbered entries of the File menu dont contain the name you are looking for, use the Open command and you will find the stored puzzle right there on the list of files, in the same directory as Crossword Wizard (usually COGIX.)


How to print your puzzles

To print your puzzles:

1. On Macintosh, use the Chooser to select the printer you want to print on, if you have more than one. This is usually needed only once, if at all.

2. On Windows, use File / Print Setup to select the printer you want to print on. This is usually needed only once, if at all.

3. Use File / Print Preview to see what youll be printing.  Use the Format… button to change the printed font, style, etc..  Remember that changing the Font size enlarges or reduces all elements of the printed puzzle automatically.

4. Once satisfied, use File / Print to print the puzzle to your printer.

If you need more flexibility, or if you want to export your puzzle to a newsletter, for example, then:

1. Print your puzzle as above, to become familiar with the options.

2. Use Edit / Copy, which will take one element of the puzzle at a time (the puzzle, the solution, and the clues) and put it on your systems clipboard.  Switch to the program in which you are preparing your newsletter, such as Word or Quark, and use Edit / Paste to drop the element into the desired location.

3. Sometimes it is possible to resize picture elements further to fit your layout; if not, go back to Crossword Wizard and try Edit / Copy again, specifying a larger or smaller font size, which will also enlarge or reduce the puzzle size.


How to publish on the Internet
How to publish your puzzles on the Internet

The File / Save As Web page menu item takes a puzzle you have created and makes it into a Worldwide Web page. When you choose this item, you are prompted for a name to give to the HTML file that will contain the page, such as MyFamily.htm.

The page can be viewed in any Java-capable Internet Browser, such as Netscape 2.0, by using the File/Open File in Browser command to open the file created by Crossword Wizard.  When opened, the puzzle page instructs the Browser to connect to Cogix Corporations worldwide web server (http://www.cogix.com) and to load a Java applet which turns the puzzle into an interactive puzzle that lets you solve the puzzle like Crossword Wizard does. With this, anyone on the Internet who views this page can actually play the puzzle on-screen, regardless of whether they run on Windows, Macintosh, or Unix, provided they have a Java-capable browser.

You can e-mail the puzzle page, as an attachment, to anyone who has a Java-capable browser.  The receiving party must save the attachment and open it in their browser, where they will be able to play the puzzle.  In Netscape, the most convenient way to do this is to use the built-in mail viewer: choose Window/Netscape Mail. If you have View/Attachments Inline selected, the puzzle will open up immediately, without needing to save it.  The key thing to know is that the Web page is an attached file (an attachment) and you need to open that file in your browser.

If you have your own Web site, or a personal Web page up on a server provider, you can use the page created by Crossword Wizard as one of your own pages, so that people who visit your site can appreciate your interest in crosswords.

Possible problems:

- Your browser does not support Java. Where the puzzle should be you see a message that says To view this puzzle, you need a Java-enabled browser and to be connected to the Internet to receive the Crossword.class Java applet code. As of this writing (March 1996), only Netscape 2.0 for Windows 95 and Unix support Java. Support has been announced for Netscape 2.0 for Macintosh, Microsofts browser, and America On Line has announced support for Netscape, Microsoft, and Java (which we find somewhat confusing, except that somehow theyll get Java to you).  We fully expect Java to be standard in all surviving Net browsers by the end of 1996 or sooner.

- Your browser supports Java, but you see a message on the status line that reads: Applet cant start: class Crossword not found.  This means that there are difficulties in reaching our Web site; the most common one is that you are not connected to the Net as you are doing this.  If this happens, look for our Web site at http://www.cogix.com first, then try opening the puzzle again.

Please refer to our web site, http://www.cogix.com, for technical support on all Internet issues; we cannot answer these kinds of questions by telephone.

Please refer to our web site regarding licensing of Crossword.class, the Java applet that makes the puzzles run.  Note that this applet is copyrighted and may not be downloaded or redistributed without a licensing agreement with Cogix Corporation.


Technical Support
How to reach Cogix Corporation

If you are having sound problems, please refer to Troubleshooting sound before contacting us.  Sound systems are very unreliable, and most problems are the result of an incomplete installation procedure.  The diagnostics that we give you in that section should help you determine your problem in conjunction with the sound card manufacturer.

If you are having problems with Internet access or publishing your puzzles on the Net, please see the section How to publish your puzzles on the Internet, or refer to our web site, http://www.cogix.com, for technical support matters regarding all Internet issues. We regret that we cannot answer these kinds of questions by telephone.

You may contact us for technical support and product information at:

Cogix Corporation

223 San Anselmo Ave. #5

San Anselmo, CA 94960

415 453 962710AM-4PM PST

415 453 9628 Fax

E-mail: support@cogix.com

For product information, amusing puzzles, tips, bug fixes and workarounds, etc., please look up our Worldwide Web site at:

http://www.cogix.com