Sympathy Tutorial

Welcome to the Sympathy online tutorial. The tutorial shows how Sympathy helps you create different types of puzzles, by walking you through the construction of real crosswords from start to finish. It is intended to complement the integrated help system (accessed by pressing F1 or clicking on a Help button within Sympathy), which provides comprehensive information about individual features.

• If you have Sympathy Crossword Publisher, start with Module 0. Although later modules use features not available in this version of the product, most of the steps in the later modules are relevant to it and Module 0 often refers to such steps.
• If you have Sympathy Crossword Construction, start with Module 1. Try to work through the modules in order, as the later ones assume knowledge of some of the features already covered. Module 0 may also be of interest if you enter previously created puzzles into Sympathy as well as compiling.

Conventions used in the tutorial are described in How to Use the Tutorial below. If you have any comments on the tutorial, use the Feedback Form.

Module 0: Entering a Crossword

In this module, we use Sympathy Crossword Publisher features to enter a simple crossword, then print it and export it as HTML.

1. Introduction
2. Starting a Crossword with All White Squares
3. Changing the Grid Symmetry
4. Selecting a Cell
5. Adding the Blocks
6. Entering the First Answer
7. Entering the First Clue
8. Completing the Crossword
9. Entering the Title and Author
10. Printing the Crossword
11. Exporting the Crossword

Module 1: Constructing a Conventional US-Style Crossword

In this module we compile a US-Style puzzle with definition-only clues and simple theme. This module covers general use of Sympathy in the greatest detail; so it is worth tackling this module first, even if you only compile the more specialized puzzles covered later on.

1. Introduction
2. Starting a Crossword using a Stock Grid
3. Selecting a Cell
4. Creating a Block
5. Selecting a Light
6. Entering Letters into a Light
7. Reflecting and Rotating the Grid
8. Moving a Light
9. Using Word Search for Filling
10. Using Automatic Filling
11. Choosing and Committing an Automatic Fill
12. Entering the Clues using Light Properties
13. Entering the Title and Author
14. Printing the Crossword

The complete crossword is presented as Flower Girls by Beetlejuice

Module 2: Constructing a Cryptic Crossword

In this module we compile a cryptic crossword using a blocked grid. This module shows alternative ways of doing some of the steps in Module 1 and covers new topics relevant to cryptic crosswords.

1. Introduction
2. Starting a Crossword with a Grid Pattern
3. Changing the Grid Symmetry
4. Adding the Blocks
5. Entering Letters into a Light
6. Using Interactive Filling
7. Using Light Filling
8. Assessing Fills using Grid Statistics
9. Switching to Layout View
10. Using the Wordplay Wizard
11. Editing the Clues using Layout View
12. Exporting the Crossword as HTML

The complete crossword is presented as Cryptic Crossword by Beetlejuice

Module 3: Constructing a Letters Latent Crossword

In this module we compile a thematic cryptic crossword using a barred grid. The classic "Letters Latent" gimmick is used to transform answers. This module introduces new topics that are especially relevant to thematic cryptics.

1. Introduction
2. Starting a Crossword with a Non-Standard Size
3. Adding the Across Lights
4. Adding the Down Lights
5. Creating Holes
6. Entering the Thematic Light
7. Setting Up the Letters Latent Gimmick
8. Overriding the Gimmick for the Unclued Light
9. Filling the Grid
10. Creating an Unnumbered Light
11. Creating an Unclued Light
12. Completing the Puzzle

The complete crossword is presented as Scintillating by Beetlejuice

Module 4: Constructing a Playfair Crossword

In this module we compile a thematic cryptic crossword using a barred grid. The classic "Playfair" gimmick is used to encode answers. This module introduces more new topics that are mainly relevant to thematic cryptics.

1. Introduction
2. Starting a Crossword using a Stock Grid
3. Using Word Search for Pattern Matching
4. Selecting More Than One Light
5. Setting up the Playfair Gimmick
6. Shading Lights
7. Filling Using the Playfair Gimmick
8. Completing the Puzzle

The complete crossword is presented as Playfair Crossword by Beetlejuice

How to Use the Tutorial

You should normally start a tutorial module by clicking on the Step 1 (Introduction) link. However, if you stopped half-way through a module, you can resume by clicking on the step you want to do next.

Use the buttons at the top of each page to navigate through the module:

	Go to the next step of a module
	Go to the previous step of a module
	Go to this Tutorial Index page
	Go to the Sympathy Home page

Text in bold face appears in the Sympathy interface (for example, is a menu item, a label in a dialog or on a keyboard key). The names of menu commands include | characters to separate the name of the menu from the name of the command. For example, File|New... means the New... command on the File menu.

A list of the Relevant Help Sections appears at the bottom of most tutorial pages. This indicates which help topics cover the features described in the step. These topics can be found in the index of the integrated help system (accessed by pressing F1 or clicking on a Help button within Sympathy).

You can use the Feedback Form to comment on this page.
Last updated: $Date: 2006/12/31 17:07:36 $
Material Copyright © 2007 Crossword Man