Create your own puzzles and crosswords

The Searchers
Compared with crosswords, which have been around since 1913, word search puzzles are a relatively recent phenomenon dating from the 1960s. The format is a simple grid filled with letters of the alphabet, some of which form words when read horizontally, vertically or diagonally, either forwards or backwards.

Being grid-based, word searches are easy to create using a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel or Calc, which is included in the free Open Off ice suite.

To create a word search, start the spreadsheet program and use the mouse to select a grid of an appropriate size to contain the words you wish to conceal. Adjust the height of each row and the width of each column so that the spreadsheet cells become square-shaped.

Use the Border options to add outlines to the cells, and then, placing one letter in each cell, type in the words you wish to hide. Select the entire grid and use the font formatting options to select a text style, and then use the cell alignment options to centre the letters in their squares both horizontally and vertically. In Microsoft Excel the Font, Border and Alignment options are all in the same dialogue box. To open it, click the Format menu and select Cells.

At this stage you might wish to save the current state of the puzzle as an answer template. Once that’s done, add random letters to the other cells. This can be done manually, or it’s possible to create a formula to do the hard work for you.

To do this in Excel click on Sheet 2 at the bottom of the screen and type the letters A to Z into cells A1 to A26.

With this done, switch back to Sheet 1 and copy the formula
=(OFFSET(Sheet2!$A$1, RANDBETWEEN(,25),0,1,1))
into every cell that you want to contain a random letter – it can be quickly copied by dragging across a range of cells. To do this, highlight one cell and place the mouse pointer over the square anchor point that appears at the bottom-right.

Click and drag horizontally or vertically to apply the formula to adjacent cells.

Remember that randomised letters might accidentally spell out words that others may not appreciate, so check the results carefully for anything offensive. Finally, don’t forget to provide a list of words that people should search for.

Do you Sudoku?
The modern Sudoku puzzle dates from 1979, but until relatively recently it was little known in the UK. In case anyone has somehow managed to avoid it, a Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid of cells that, when completed, each contain a number from one to nine.

Each digit must appear only once in each row and column. In addition, if the 9x9 grid is regarded as nine separate 3x3 grids, then each of these regions must also contain the numbers one to nine.

Despite the fact that numbers are used, no computation is involved, and a Sudoku puzzle can work equally well using nine alphabetic characters or nine symbols. The compiler of a Sudoku puzzle removes the majority of numbers from the grid and it is the task of the solver to deduce the original layout.

Because there are many similarities between a word search grid and a Sudoku grid, it’s no surprise that any spreadsheet program can be used to create one. To create a Sudoku grid use the mouse to select a range of cells nine columns wide and nine rows deep. Adjust the height of each row and the width of each column so the cells are square. Use the Border options to add outlines to the cells and type in a few digits for testing purposes.

Next select the entire grid and use the font formatting options to choose a text style for the test digits in the grid. Use the cell formatting options to centre the numbers in their squares both horizontally and vertically. Delete the test digits, and then use the Border options to emphasise the internal lines that delineate the nine 3 x 3 regions within the puzzle. Once this has been done, save the grid and use it as the starting point for all future Sudoku puzzles.

The tricky part, of course, is to come up with a valid solution in the first place. Although it is possible to program Excel to generate grids automatically, the code needed is incredibly complicated. For most people, the best solution is trial and error, but here's an example of a fully automatic Sudoku generator.

After completing the puzzle grid, don’t forget to save it as an answer key before removing most of the numbers to leave only the hints. As a general rule, leave between 28 and 30 squares with hints in them for a hard puzzle, 31-34 hints for a puzzle of medium difficulty and 35 or more for an easy puzzle.

Jigsaws and sliding puzzles
Two types of puzzle that push a computer’s capabilities more are jigsaws and sliding block puzzles. At Jigzone there’s a free daily puzzle with up to 247 pieces or you can upload a photo and make a personalised puzzle. Puzzles can be embedded in a web page, or sent as an email. It’s all free, though you do have to sign up to use some advanced features.

There’s a good selection of ready-made sliding puzzles at www.crea-soft.com/ online-slide-puzzles and at www.puzzle world.org/slidingblockpuzzles.

Anagram games
Probably the most basic anagram game is when a single long word is given from which players have to make as many smaller words as possible. With the help of a computer, this can be given a new spin by supplying the master word at the top of a sheet of paper with numbered lines or boxes below for answers. This is easy to do in a spreadsheet or word processor, using the word processor’s table facility to make the lines or boxes.

On the back of the sheet can be printed a list of all the possible answers for checking and scoring purposes. Download Anagram Master from http://jamesgart.com/anagram. Input the master word, select All, then click Search. The words are listed and the total number of words found is displayed. Use the Copy all to Clipboard button, then use the Paste function in your word processor to create the answer sheet.

Scrabbling away
Although not a puzzle, Scrabble is an addictive game that exercises the vocabulary. A computer makes it possible to play against friends all over the world. Scrabulous allows you to play the game in several different ways, including over email, or there’s an official Scrabble game to download, for a fee.

The web is full of information to help you play Scrabble. There are dictionaries available to check words, including the free Chambers 21st Century dictionary. The Oxford English Dictionary isn’t free, but visit your local library website as many councils provide free access if you have a library card number.

Although other players might frown upon the practice of looking up words to play, opponents on the internet needn’t ever know, so more devious types might want to check out More Words. Tell this tool the letters you need to fit into, and it will generate a list of possibilities.

Whatever puzzles you like, and whether you’re looking for ready-made entertainment or the tools to create your own, there’s plenty of help on the web. So, what are you waiting for? Get puzzling!