Using the Puzzle Mask Editor
Using the puzzle mask editor you can; for example, build a symmetrical crossword grid for your puzzle, or you can insure that the puzzle will not cover certain parts of your backdrop, say a face or other important part of a picture. You can use the mask to ensure a given word or letter is placed in a specific position in your puzzle solution. You can also create geometrical shapes etc. for word searches.
The following topics are covered on this page:
- A. We will first go through the steps required to create a mask for a backdrop picture.
- B. Next we will explain adding letters to the Puzzle
- C. Next we will go through the steps required to create a mask for a diagonally symmetrical puzzle.
- D. Lastly, we will go through the steps required to create a shape for a word search puzzle.
In each case you will need to first select the Mask tab at the upper left of the puzzle window. 
A. The blank mask appears as shown on the far right. We will first go through the steps required to create a mask for a backdrop picture.
- First let's add a picture backdrop and then make sure the important parts of the picture will remain free from the crossword construction. See Changing the Backdrop. So go to the "Backdrop" tab and choose to add a picture backdrop. Here we have added a simple picture with some sketches of people.
- Choose the pencil to mark squares where the mask should not appear. We will put the mask over the arch to indicate where the puzzle should not be. Once your mask is as you like it select "OK."
- Now when you rebuild your puzzle by hitting the Make Puzzle button or icon, the crossword puzzle (or the word search puzzle) will not cover the arch in the picture.
The mask editing tools
- Select the Draw tool to create a mask. A second click removes the square from the puzzle.
- Select the Fill tool to fill in larger areas of the mask.
- Select the Mirror tools to create symmetrical masks. This is especially true when building symmetrical masks. See "Building Symmetrical Puzzles" under Advanced Topics.
- Select the Clear tool to clear a mask or rework an existing mask.
B. We will next explain: Adding Letters to the Puzzle*
*Note: Letters are added to the puzzle mask in order to force the placement of letters (or words) into the puzzle solution. It is still necessary to add clue/answer pairs as the mask letters only specify where words can be placed and do not define any terms for the puzzle. This technique allows you to specify the solution to part or all of your puzzle manually.
Usage:
To add letters to your puzzle mask, open the puzzle mask editor, move the mouse over the spot you want to add a letter, and type the desired letter. Letters from a placed word must exactly match the letters in the mask they are placed over. Crossword Forge will automatically advance the active grid space to the right (default), allowing you to easily type words into the mask. When the currently active language is written right to left, position advancement occurs in a right to left manner (as opposed to left to right).
Special Keys:
- Spacebar: toggles the mask at the current location (equivalent to pressing the primary mouse button).
- Backspace (Mac Delete): Clear the mask from the previous position (and retreat the current position).
- Delete (Mac Forward Delete): Clear the mask from the current position (and advance the current position).
- Home / End: Move the current grid position to the left/right of the grid.
- Page Up / Page Down: Move the current grid position to the top/bottom of the grid.
- Tab: Toggles the current grid position advancement direction between across and down.
- Shift Tab (Mac Option Tab): Normal tab behavior, transfers the focus to the next control.
Menus
- Edit->Paste: Allows you to paste the current contents of the clipboard into the mask. Letters that would be combined in the same cell by the puzzle engine are combined here as well (especially useful for Arabic, Hebrew, Punjabi, Thai and others). Spaces are interpreted as toggles. When the currently active language is written right to left, text is pasted right to left.
Other Behaviors:
- Colors: Letters that are already part of the puzzle appear black. Those which are part of the mask are red, and those which have the mask specified but are already part of the puzzle are black with a red border. You can lock a letter that was added by the puzzle engine by typing the same letter on top of it. Typing a different letter is not allowed.
- Draw Tool (Pencil): If you click on a masked letter it will clear the letter mask. If you click on a letter that is already part of the puzzle you will "lock" it in place by adding it to the mask. This will be indicated by a red border. You can drag the mouse while in this mode to lock multiple letters. Non-letter grid spaces will not be affected by this dragging. You can also click (or drag) on a letter again to unlock it.
- Fill Tool (Paintbucket): You can lock all connected letters quickly by using the fill tool, or undo that action by clicking again.
- Mirroring: Mirroring is fully honored for letters in the puzzle mask. So you can, for example put an "A" in 4 places in the mask at once by turning on the horizontal, vertical and diagonal mirroring and typing "A" over a spot on the grid.
C. Next we will go through the steps required to create a mask for a diagonally symmetrical puzzle. 
The picture at the right shows the completed mask.
- First go to the "Advanced" tab and set your puzzle size. In this example let's use 15 X 15.
- Select the mask editor as above and use the clear tool to clear the mask and puzzle.
- Select "size to fit" in the lower left corner of the mask.
- Select the Diagonal Mirror tool, which is labled "D Mirror".
- Begin constructing your mask following the pattern that you have picked.
- When you have finished the desired pattern, you can "Save Mask..." and then press "OK".
D. Lastly, we will go through the steps required to create a shape for a word search puzzle. In this case we have picked an evergreen.
The picture at the right shows the completed mask.
- First go to the "Advanced" tab and set your puzzle size. In this example let's use 25 X 25.
- Next go to the "Backdrop" tab and choose a solid color for your backdrop. See Changing the Backdrop. As you see here, we selected green.
- Select the mask editor as above and use the clear tool to clear the mask and puzzle.
- Select "size to fit" in the lower left corner of the mask.
- Begin constructing your mask building a shape in the pattern that you have picked.
- Double click each square where the pattern should be blanked out, (each square should have a red "X" over a white background).
- When you have finished the desired pattern, you can "Save Mask..." and then press "OK".
Notes:
- As a general rule, the mask must be re-done if the size of the puzzles is changed or the backdrop is modified.
- Mask can be saved for use in other puzzles by using the "Save Mask..." button.
- To load a mask that has been saved, use the "Load Mask..." button.
- When a square has a red "X" over a colored backdrop, the puzzle will not be placed in this square.
- When a square has a red "X" over a white backdrop, the puzzle will blanked out in this square, i.e. nothing will show in this area.
- Caution: The red "X" over a white backdrop effect can be very confusing if "No Backdrop" is selected as the choice in the "Backdrop" tab.
