Constructing Crosswords: Formats

Introduction |
.txt | .puz | .jpz | .js | .ipuz | .cfp | .pdf | NYT | web, CS | other |
References

Introduction

  • "Today I learned that 'Across Lite' is actually...
  • Different crossword file formats serve different purposes:
  • formatted for printing, e.g., .pdf and image files
  • structured data for construction apps, solving apps & applets, e.g., .puz, .jpz;
    optional: formatting
  • sending puzzles to publishers -- check specifications for accepted formats
  • A crossword data file contains
  • grid dimensions; grid layout: locations of black squares (blocks) and solution entries;
  • clues (Across and Down) -- numbering explicit, or implicit (computed from grid layout);
  • usually: the solution, title, author, copyright, note to solver
  • sometimes: rebus entries, squares with circles, formatting directives (square size, colors, etc.)
  • Since 1996, .puz has been a standard crossword file format
    from Literate Software (aka "Litsoft") for AcrossLite (AL)
    -- and for many other solving applets/apps and construction apps.
  • Other file formats have been developed (e.g., .jpz, .ipuz) which would
  • 1) be open standards (esp. when it appeared that Litsoft would require paid licensing)
  • 2) support more flexible numbering, layout, formatting;
  • -- these other formats are available, but not widespread,
    perhaps since Litsoft later (v2) added .puz support for circles, rebuses,
    though other features, e.g., gray squares, still unsupported: NYT occasionally recommends .pdf
  • 8/2021: NYT dropped support for .puz
  • A few web standards & acronyms that will be referenced (Wikipedia):
  • Extensible Markup Language (XML)
  • JavaScript (JS)
  • JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)
  • Markdown
  • Portable Document Format (PDF)
  • A few apps do not import these public puzzle formats
    -- and instead use their own proprietary file formats (which won't be covered here).
  • Each format below indicates possible constructing and solving apps that can open/save each format.
  • Some browser applets are included also; lists and details may be incomplete/incorrect.

txt.txt (Across Lite: text)

  • .txt: version: 1&2; Litsoft; [above: .txt excerpt]; schoOLLIfe: olli-ex.txt
  • most apps use the binary .puz format (next)
  • Across Lite v2.5 app mentions an undocumented "v3 file format"
    with support for new grid & text formatting:
  • Wrapping multi-line clues in clue lists that can be styled by publishers (bold, italic, underline,
    forced line breaks, etc). Color emoji and expanded Unicode support.
  • Improved support for high-resolution monitors with high-resolution icons and
    resolution-aware drawing and scaling for sharp lines and smooth text.
  • For printing, the grid can now be placed in any quadrant of the paper and the clues
    will flow around it (previously available on Windows version only). Pick for your solving style or which hand you use.
  • A new custom option to include the solution grid as a separate page along
    with the solving layout. This allows both solve page(s) and solution grid to be printed with a single print action.
    With duplex printing, solution grid can be at the back of a single sheet to save paper.
  • Fonts have been updated for printing and display for newer versions of MacOS
    -- to enable styled text, for better clarity in printed sheet. Spacing between clues in the print layout has been
    increased and columns wider when possible to reduce number of lines for longer clues.
  • Dark mode can now be always enabled or never enabled or set to follow
    the desktop setting in the Preferences for Layout.
  • Publishers can shade grid with full 24-bit color including transparency.
    Emojis can be placed on grid. The shading and emojis will adjust to ensure solution entry is never obscured.
    Printing preferences can disable grid marks and print shading in an unobtrusive light color/gray.
  • import: AL, CC, CrossFire, XWord; applet: Drupal
  • export: CrossFire, Crosserville

puz.puz (Across Lite: binary)

jpz.jpz (XML)

.js (JavaScript: XML embedded )

.ipuz (JSON)

.cfp (CrossFire)

.pdf (Portable Document Format)

  • export .pdf for puzzle & solution from most solving & construction apps
    -- by generating directly from app, or by printing from app (w/ OS or 3rd party support)
  • schoOLLIfe: olli-ex-puz.pdf (puzzle) empty grid & clues;
    olli-ex-sol.pdf (solution) numbered grid with solution
  • print the .pdf to solve on paper
  • annotate in a PDF application, e.g., group solving over Zoom
  • submit to a publisher, e.g., NYT (next)
  • Crossword Nexus: PUZ to PDF Converter
  • Crossword PDF Editor .puz to .pdf;
    version of Crossword Nexus's Converter with some additional editing options; see also NYT Submission Editor
  • It's not common (or easy) to import from a .pdf into a solving app;
    .pdf defines only the superficial appearance;
    structured data (like .puz), i.e., grid layout, list of answers and clues, would have to be inferred.
  • Litzing Methods Using OCR 9/21/2012
  • ‎Crossword Scanner iOS; scan crossword puzzles from paper or screenshots into an interactive format

NYT (New York Times)

scraperWeb

  • Crossword applets might use other formats besides .puz or .js
  • It's possible to convert browser crossword applets [PuzzleMe, Crossword Compiler] on some sites to
    .puz, .jpz, .ipuz or .pdf by using Crossword Scraper: free browser extension Firefox, Chrome) [image: right];
    e.g., NYT, New Yorker, The Week; other puzzle sites tagged with "CS" (Crossword Scraper) compatible;
    source code available
  • PuzzleMe to .puz & .jpz: converter bookmarklets more limited than Crossword Scraper?
stds
How Standards Proliferate by XKCD is licensed via
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5

Other Formats

References