| Feature |
Description
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| Installation |
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Uses InstallShield. Uninstall
option. Sets PC up so that user can use windows explorer to open a puzzle file if
required. |
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Installs icon for Application,
as well as access to Copyright text, Release Notes text, and Help Contents page. |
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Sets up registry to let user
double-click on file from Windows Explorer to access the different file types. |
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Minimum PC Configuration:
486-25 with 8Mb of RAM, at least 5Mb of spare Hard Disk space, Windows 95 or above.
Internet Explorer 4 or above must be pre-installed. |
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Recommended PC
configuration: Pentium 166 or above with at least 32Mb of RAM, at least 10Mb
of spare Hard Disk space, Windows 95 or above. Anagram and word searches and AutoFill
facility benefit greatly from larger memory capacity and processor speed. Large dimension
puzzle grids also benefit. Internet Explorer 4 or above must be pre-installed. |
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| Puzzles |
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Maximum dimensions for puzzle:
299 rows by 299 columns (shareware version: Save/Export disabled and Printing limited to
first report, over 15x15 sized grids) |
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Minimum dimensions for puzzle:
3 rows by 3 columns |
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Create new puzzles based on
pre-existing puzzle, or set-up completely new designs. |
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Maximum of 32767 clues in each
across, down, and pending per crossword. |
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Files are stored in a
standardized format, guaranteeing that older versions of the program will still be able to
read files produced on newer versions. |
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Easy to use from the start,
with many additional facilities within easy reach when user becomes more confident. |
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Title, author, and any
miscellaneous notes can be stored with each crossword. |
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Keyboard or menu commands for
most operations.
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Use cursor keys to navigate
the grid. Cursor highlights cell and/or word(s) in currently selected clue, and also shows
direction of typing (across or down). |
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Type directly onto the grid. |
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Facility for switching typing
direction between Down and Across. |
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Refresh button refreshes the
link between clues and words on the grid, and automatically numbers the grid. Also
(optionally) checks for duplicate words on the crossword grid. Can switch off matching on
individual squares, if you wish to include letters that are unrelated to clues (e.g.
reference text). |
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Paste words directly onto the
grid from the clipboard. |
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Easy to use
"Properties" pop-up window to make visual spot-changes to individual squares. |
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AutoFill any remaining spaces
from the currently loaded word list, with various options if you wish to fine-tune how the
computer searches for its candidate words - e.g. length, bias towards easier letters etc.
If biasing toward towards certain letters, can calculate this bias by scanning through a
text file to find average usage of each letter. |
|
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The "look" of a
crossword grid can be customized as follows:-
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Position
of grid relative to screen when loaded can be preset as centre,
top-left, or as saved |
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Grid and Out colours can be
set globally and also (as required) on individual squares. |
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Grid and Out squares can be
filled with a user-definable picture (bitmap) both globally and on individual squares. |
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Squares can be made
transparent either globally, dependent on whether squares are used, or on specific squares
on the grid. |
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Colour and size of border can
be set both globally and on individual squares. |
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Numbering automatically
generated according to normal crossword rules, or can be globally, or only on certain
squares, turned off to use your own numbering. Numbering can also be done by assigning
numbers to certain letters (can be randomly shuffled by the computer) - useful for
Letter-Hunt style puzzles. |
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Grid can be "zoomed"
for improved readability whilst using the program |
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"Outs" can be drawn
on the grid quickly and easily. |
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Instead of using
"Outs", can draw dividing lines between cells. |
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Facility to draw a mirror
image of outs reflected about the centre vertically, horizontally and/or diagonally |
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Clues can be set to appear on
the grid with an arrow pointing to the space it refers to in any combination of twelve
directions. |
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Clue Tips can be used to show
at-a-glance the clue and/or hint for a word on the grid |
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Colour of focus and cursor can
be customized |
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Spacing between edge of square
and contents of square can be globally set. |
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Grid Letters and Numbers can
have their font and style globally changed. |
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Proportionate size between
Grid Letter and Numbers can be set |
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Letters can be aligned within
each square either to the left, centrally, or to the right. |
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Puzzle can be set up to limit
which characters may be used - e.g. only letters, or only numbers. |
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Random Fill option to fill
remaining spaces on the grid with random letters. |
|
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Crosswords can be saved in a
number of formats:-
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Straight XWD crossword files.
A crossword file can be set-up to automatically load when the program starts - useful for
work-in-progress. Crossword files can be password protected in the full version. |
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Encrypted XWE files. This is a
distributable version of the crossword file, encrypted to make it difficult to see the
contents of the file. This type of file is opened in a 'read only' mode, so that the
crossword can be completed by the user, but not changed. It is possible to
password-protect the file, so that the original constructor of the crossword can amend the
crossword if necessary. |
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Templates. This is a crossword
file, which when opened, can be used as a template for new crosswords. A Template when
opened has no connection back to its original filename. These can only be created in the
full version, but can be opened in the shareware version. |
|
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Statistics page gives
information such as Word & Clue Counts, Average Word & Clue Lengths, and number of
outs / out:non-out ratio. Also gives pie and bar chart of puzzle's word
length distribution. |
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Revert
facility to revert to version of puzzle as last saved to disk. |
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Most Recently Used list to
quickly access recently opened/saved files. Automatically detected and greys-out files
that have been deleted. Option to clear the MRU list. Up to 9 MRU files available at once.
Note separate MRU list available for puzzles, word lists, and clue pools. |
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Test mode
for previewing / trying out the crossword whilst designing it. |
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Timer
function whilst in test mode or using a distributable to time how
long it takes to complete the crossword. |
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Files can
optionally be compressed to make them 2-6 times smaller - no extra
compression /decompression software required |
|
| Clues |
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Pop-up window for entering
clues for crossword |
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Space automatically created
for each clue on the grid |
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Easy access to each clue -
click on particular clue on a list of Down, Across and Pending Clues |
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Each clue is automatically
numbered, and its length automatically calculated. |
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Facility for multi-part clues:
A clue can be spread over different spaces on the grid. |
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Clue can have normal and
alternative definition - e.g. for straight/cryptic combination crosswords. |
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Clue can also have hints and
an explanation of how the answer relates to the clue - great for doing crosswords for
beginners |
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Each clue can have up to 32767
categories associated with it, to make tracking the type of clue easy. |
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Pending list - useful for
creating clues, when you don't yet know where they will go on the grid |
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Copy any clue to the Clue Pool
at the click of a button. |
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| Clue Pool |
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A clue pool is a list of clues
that can be reused in any crossword. Useful for saving time when constructing new
crosswords - you have some clues already prepared for you! Also useful for maintaining a style
throughout your crossswords. |
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Clues in the clue pool are
categorised |
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Copy a clues to the clue pool
whilst constructing a crossword with one click. Complete duplicates prevented, although
more than one clue with the same answer is permitted. |
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Copy a clue from the clue pool
to the pending list, or drag directly into a space on the crossword grid. |
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Wildcard search facility to
find clues to fit a space - includes letter, multi-letter, vowel, and consonant searches. |
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Search for words in a specific
category or set of categories - useful for themed crosswords, crptic-only or straight-only
crosswords etc. |
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Revert
facility to revert to version of word pool as last saved to disk. |
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Files can
optionally be compressed to make them 2-3 times smaller - no extra
compression /decompression software required |
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| Word List |
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A word list is a list of words
and phrases that can be used in a crossword - i.e. a lexicon. |
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Three dictionaries as standard
- full, selection, and computer-related. |
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Add words either manually or
automatically from either a text file or other word list. |
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Export words to a text file,
or another word list. Can select a random subset to make a smaller selection. |
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Validation process to ensure
imported words are correct before being fully added to the dictionary. Also exclusion list
to prevent certain words being re-imported after validation. |
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Up to four Categories for
searching on either difficulty of word or any other category. |
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Wildcard search facility to
find clues to fit a space - includes letter, multi-letter, vowel, and consonant searches. |
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Anagram finder, based on words
from the dictionary. Also find all words contained within the given word. |
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Drag words directly to a space
on the puzzle grid, or just click on the space in the grid that you wish to fill, press a
key, move to the automatically found word that fits the space, and hit your Enter key. |
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Revert
facility to revert to version of word list as last saved to disk. |
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Files can
optionally be compressed to make them 2-3 times smaller - no extra
compression /decompression software required |
|
| Web (HTML) Output |
|
Generic
Web Export function, using standard Arctan WebScript Templates for
HTML and JavaScript exports. |
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Instantly
create an interactive crossword puzzle using JavaScript and HTML to
be published on your web site, and for those who own older browsers,
or who want to print the puzzle, create straight HTML documents to
publish to your web site. |
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Customize
exports in a variety of categorized ways - e.g. colours, pictures,
sections to include etc. |
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Can be published onto
an internet web site - readable by the majority of Web Browsers. |
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Uses
default colour scheme / exports pictures on grid
squares set up for printing. |
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At
present, can export puzzles that use outs and barres, but ignores
arrow-words. |
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Optional
Timer and Load / Save functions in JavaScript output pages |
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For the
really adventurous, create your own templates that can be used with
any crossword! |
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| Printing |
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Extensive printing options |
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Print multiple copies -
collated if required. |
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Print setup facilities if
printing to different printers. |
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Eight different reports, each
customisable, showing grid, clues, words, hints, and explanations in different ways. |
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Customisation options include:
Print title, Include Normal/Alternative Clues, Include Empty Clues, Start Alternative
clues, Down clues in new column, and draw line between columns. |
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Print headers and footers
(optionally different for 1st page). Puzzle-related information can be embedded - e.g.
document name, statistics, filename, date and time, special symbols etc. |
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Can customize the heading from
Main and Alternative clue sets (e.g. Straight and Cryptic) |
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Change size ratio between
number and letter in a square |
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Change size of grid as a
percentage of the page width |
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Optionally include background
pictures in outs and squares. |
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Change font and colours of
grid squares and clue text. |
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| Pictures |
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Centralised bank of Pictures
that can be reused and linked to different parts of the puzzle |
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Pictures can be imported,
stored, saved back out, and converted between Bitmap, GIF, JPEG and WMF types. If kept as
original import, no subsequent loss of quality in JPEG images (used for Web Graphics). |
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Pictures can be given titles
independent of their filename |
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Pictures can be categorised
for easy search and retrieval |
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Pictures can be stored in the
puzzle in any of the three formats to keep the puzzle in a single file, or linked to an
external image file to reduce the size of the puzzle and allow for sharing between
puzzles. Can switch between these two methods of storage quickly and easily. |
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Central browsing window for
finding your desired picture with minimum fuss. |
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Pictures can be placed in
outs, in squares, and can be placed at any point in front of, or behind the grid, and can
be stretched to any size (to the nearest cell) on the grid. Pictures can also overlap, and
their order of visibility can be changed to show which picture should be in front. |
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| On-Line Help |
|
Custom-designed help engine
allows for a mixture of media |
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HTML-based, tested on Internet
Explorer 4. Acts like a web site. Easy to navigate. |
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Context-sensitive to part of
application being used - User just presses F1 |
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Overall Contents section for
easy access to all parts of the on-line help 'site' |
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Links between different
sections of help to make finding the required information quick and easy. |
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Link to the Arctan Computer
Ventures internet web site direct from the program, or from any page in the help. |
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View the latest version of a
page on the internet - one click away on any page in the help. |
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Copyright and release text
available from the 'About' option. |
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Register on-line using your
credit/debit card, or using alternative means. |
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See a tree-structured
representation of the context-sensitive help, with facilities to view, print, and (if
editor available) edit parts of the help system. Ultimate customisability! |
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User can redirect help to
other files if wishes to produce own on-line help. This means that the original file can
be kept intact, and is still available from other links in the help 'site'. |
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Additional elements can be
added to the help system for future expandability. |
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| Sample Data |
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Three word lists -
120,000 (full - partly categorised), 20,000 (selection), and 1,000 (computer terms). |
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Over 200 sample categorised
clues in the clue pool. |
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Six sample crosswords - One
straight/cryptic mixed, one straight, and one American-style straight. Also one
arrow-word, one picture / shaped, and one code-word. |
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Twelve sample 15x15 crossword
templates - some American-style, some British style. |
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Five sample background bitmap
(pictures) for grid squares. Any others can be imported from many locations - e.g. from
the internet. |
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