Constructing: Publish: Example: OLLI

Course Examples

1. schoOL LIfe theme entries (15,9,10,10,9,15);
72 words, 40 blocks, 19 3-letter words; includes errata; 11/2019
2. OLLI OLLI Oxen Free; theme entries (15,13,15); 76 words, 36 blocks, 16 3-letter words;
Spring 2020; 5/2020
3. Story Time at the Library; theme entries (13,13,13,13); 70 words, 38 blocks, 8 3-letter words;
Summer 2020 (via JCLS: Jackson County Library Services); 7/2020
4. Seasoned Rolls; theme entries (11,14,14,11); 78 words, 38 blocks, 18 3-letter words;
Fall 2022; 10/2022

Other OLLI-related Puzzles

OLLI LINK newsletter: An OLLI Olio: Ooh La La
OLLI Course: P@s$w0rdz: Not Stroganoff. Try Again; Open Sesame
OLLI Course: Be Safer on the Internet: Internet Connection; Malware; Browsing

Constructing: Publish: Example: JCLS

Story Time at the Library

Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
Android, iOS: Crosswords
This puzzle was created by instructor and students at a course offered thru Jackson County Library Services; 7/2020
Next subsections: more about theme and grid alternatives considered.
A few other story-related puzzles:
Settle In; WSJ, 7/22/2020; discussion
LAT, 7/16/2020; discussion

Constructing: Publish: Example: OLLI#1

schoOL LIfe

Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
Android, iOS: Crosswords
Author's notes: original version of OLLI-themed puzzle developed
for Constructing Crosswords course; 11/2019

Constructing: Publish: Example: OLLI#2

OLLI OLLI Oxen Free

Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
Android, iOS: Crosswords
Author's notes: example created by Steve and students of Constructing Crosswords course; 5/2020

Constructing: Publish: Example: Seasoned Rolls

Seasoned Rolls

There are 2 versions of the puzzle, with positions of two central theme entries swapped, and different fill and clues.
These puzzles reuse theme entries found in several published puzzles: NYT, 11/19/1993; LAT, 8/2/2005;
with no intent to publish, our Fall 2022 class explored other theme entries, different grid layouts, added a reveal entry and title, etc.
Interactive versions [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current letter/word
Print versions [.pdf]: v1: puzzle; solution; v2: puzzle; solution
Download puzzle file [.puz]: v1, v2;
open .puz (which includes solution) in a crossword app, e.g.,
Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
Android, iOS: Crosswords

Gallery: Solving Applets in Browsers

external: applet code hosted on own web site or puzzle opened on outside web site
internal: applet code and puzzle hosted on own web site
*: applet can be embedded (via IFRAME) inside web page
Crossword Embedding Options
AmuseLabs(PuzzleMe), Crosshare, Squares.io, Crossword Nexus HTML5 Solver, Exolve, Crossword Compiler; CN; 3/15/2022
I initially started with Crossword Compiler (internal);
then switched to PuzzleMe (external*; free for personal use) for many of my own interactive puzzles;
currently, I'm been using Crossword Nexus HTML5 Crossword Solver (internal*; free, open source)
Crossword Scraper browser extension (Firefox, Chrome) can extract .puz, .jpz, .ipuz, .pdf from some sites.
"CS" marks "Crossword Scraper" compatible applets:
Crosshare, Crossword Compiler, Crossword Nexus HTML5 Solver, PuzzleMe, XWordInfo; others?
Sources: Web Sites includes CS compatible puzzles
How to Add Games to WordPress: Best Plugins + How-to Guide Amuselabs; 3/12/2024
Some other custom/internal applets observed in the wild:
Arkadium/King, Chicago Tribune (LAT), Seattle Times (NYT), USA Today;
other (older) open source projects are also avail.
Note: the .pdf version of this section will have some strange page breaks (difficult to fix)

Crosshare: .puz; CS

schoOL LIfe direct link; [image on right];
[embedded below -- click Begin Puzzle button]

Crossword Compiler (CC): .js; CS

[embedded below]; discussion: .js format, .jpz conversion
WordPress plugin that contains CC applet; source

Crossword Nexus HTML5 Solver: .puz, .jpz, .xml, .cfp; CS

Open .jpz Puzzle, e.g., .puz -- or embedded example below; Jonesin' samples;
create IFRAME w/ your puzzle stored on crosswordnexus.com
-- or install source code on a site (used by OLLI example below)
example crossword showing both PuzzleMe and HTML5 Solver
help for using HTML5 Solver (includes some custom changes)

Cruciverbalizer: .puz

upload .puz; similar to DownForAcross.com?
no circle support; special chars?

Drupal: Crossword: .puz, .txt

Module for web sites using Drupal (Content Management System) -- used by my site [embedded example below];
scroll up for title, author, clue controls; scroll down for help: Keyboard Control and Entering Text; possible to omit page header/footer?
crosswordplayground.com uses Drupal Crossword module but can't be embedded in IFRAME

Exolve: .puz, .ipuz

docs, source code; exolve.org [embedded example below]

PuzzleMe: .puz, .jpz, .xml, .xw (AmuseLabs); CS

free for non-commercial use
after creating or importing puzzle, copy Embed code
schoOL LIfe example -- or embedded below
Crossword Scraper (Firefox, Chrome browser extension)
can extract .puz, .jpz, .pdf on PuzzleMe (and some other) sites.

(Spoonbill) American Printing House: .puz, .xwc

schoOL LIfe example
cmd-ctrl-O to open local .puz
no circle support; no embed via IFRAME?
A Review of the Crossword Web-based Game from APH 5/2020

Squares: .puz, .jpz, .ipuz

upload file to server; e.g., schoOL LIfe example:
[click to open in new tab]; [image on right];
expiration? no embed via IFRAME?

XWordInfo: Analyze: .puz; CS

upload .puz file to server; analyze.pdf;
no embed via IFRAME? [image on right];
note same applet used elsewhere on xwordinfo.com: NYT Variety & Pre-Shortzian puzzles;
schoOL LIfe example (unless expired)

Gallery: Solving Applications

Across Lite: Mac, iPad | Black Ink | Crosswords | CrozzWord | Puzzazz | XWord

Note: Only apps with Mac and/or iOS versions with .puz or .jpz support are currently shown below.
If you can open the olli-ex.puz in a different solving app and OS (Windows, Linux, Android),
please send me a screenshot -- thanks.

Across Lite (Mac): .puz, .txt

Gallery: Across Lite (Mac and iPad)

Across Lite (iPad): .puz, .txt

Gallery: AL (Mac and iPad)

Black Ink (Mac): .puz

Crosswords (iPad): .puz, .jpz

CROSSWORDS and YOU: Gallery: Crosswords; Crosswords 'Classic'

CrozzWord (Mac): .puz;

requires Java; no circle or rebus (or tech) support
CROSSWORDS and YOU: Gallery: CrozzWord: Zaurus, Mac, Win, P900, iPaq

Puzzazz (iPad): .puz

XWord (Mac): .puz, .jpz

Gallery: Constructing Applications

Across Lite (AL): .txt, .puz

platforms: macOS, Windows
AL is not a construction app per se -- import .txt/.puz from other tool, maybe modify .txt in text editor.
However, it can transform puzzles for publishing.
Open: e.g., olli-ex.txt (tagged text file format); Save as: .puz;
or Open: .puz exported from a construction tool
Print: .pdf (variety of formats)

Crosserville: .puz

web: Chrome, Firefox, Edge
tutorial; FAQ

CrossFire: .puz, .jpz, .cfp

platforms: macOS, Windows, Linux
Walkthrough: Making a Puzzle with CrossFire
OLLI Example: Grid; Fill; Clues; Publish

Crosshare: .puz

web, webM
publish on site; solve others' puzzles

CrossHatch: .puz

web
use; source, docs

Crossword Compiler (CC): .puz, .jpz

platform: Windows; macOS*; applet avail.
*macOS requires Virtual Machine (e.g., Parallels) or Wine emulator, e.g., Crossover Mac
-- Crossover works ok for some things [image: right], but many display glitches, e.g., Review Clues
CROSSWORDS and YOU: Gallery: Crossword Compiler

Crossword Composer: .puz, .xpf

web -- still avail.?
circle support?

Crossword Maker for Cruciverbalists (CMfC): .puz

platform: iOS -- discontinued
circle support?

Exet (exet.app): .puz*, 'exolve'

web; applet avail.
docs, source; exolve.org
Exet: .puz export
*indirect .puz import:
Evolve-player: Choose: .puz, e.g., olli-ex.puz
button (bottom of page): "Save Exolve-converted crossword..."
Exet: Open > Open Evolve File: Choose File
(saved from Exolve Player, e.g., olli-ex-exolve-output.html)