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Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:55 pm
by tonyrobots
Hi, very sorry if this has been covered before, but I struggle every week trying to get the WSJ puzzle to print at a reasonable size (i.e. filling most of a 8.5" x 11" sheet.) Anyone have any tips for getting this right? I am very technically adept, but somehow this still eludes me. When I try to scale up in my print settings, it scales off the page rather than filling it. Obviously I could do a screenshot, scale that, and print, but I'd love a quick, simple solution. I know most of you print every week, so surely you've solved this (admittedly relatively simple, I reckon) puzzle.

Please help!

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:04 pm
by boharr
On the WSJ website, I choose print - but don't because the puzzle comes out small. Instead, I save it as a PDF and then just print that PDF, which fills a 8.5 x 11 sheet with no adjustments. I'm using a Mac with Safari.

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:32 pm
by tonyrobots
Indeed that worked for me on Mac Safari and Edge on Windows. I normally use Firefox, which is terrific in lots of ways, but for some reason struggles here. Thanks!

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:32 pm
by Meg
There is a website where you can get every wsj crossword in AcrossLite, including the meta crossword.
https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/20-wsj.html
The upside is you save on toner. You can make the black squares grey. The downside is you have to be willing to wait 10-15 minutes for it to update itself.

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:37 pm
by boharr
Meg wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:32 pm There is a website where you can get every wsj crossword in AcrossLite, including the meta crossword.
https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/20-wsj.html
The upside is you save on toner. You can make the black squares grey. They downside is you have to be willing to wait 10-15 minutes for it to update itself.
Thank you. This is very helpful.

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2020 5:37 pm
by MajordomoTom
tonyrobots wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:32 pm Indeed that worked for me on Mac Safari and Edge on Windows. I normally use Firefox, which is terrific in lots of ways, but for some reason struggles here. Thanks!
you can usually change options between (a) open the PDF in a tab within the browser and (b) open the PDF in the separate PDF software.

(b) is usually better for these when you want to 'kill a tree' with the puzzle.

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 12:05 pm
by tonyrobots
Thanks all, some good options here...

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 12:22 pm
by BarbaraK
I actually like having plenty of margin on my meta puzzles to have space for making notes on theories.

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 9:36 pm
by AnnP
Using Windows and Firefox, I download the PDF, open it in my PDF reader (Foxit reader), choose 'FIT TO PAGE' and it prints perfectly every time. Hope this helps.

Re: Printing tips for WSJ puzzle?

Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 2:03 pm
by DrTom
If you really want to get them most out of the Meta and the ability to highlight, make notes, etc. you need to give the template Joe Ross posted a try. (forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=135) You have to have Excel or download the template and import it into Google Sheets. It's great because you can solve right there or, if you want to print it out. print from the spreadsheet (warning - you are printing a picture so it takes a lot longer to print!).

If you absolutely want to just print the WSJ puzzle from the web, when I "download" the PDF and select print a box comes up that asks if I want to print to PDF or to the default printer. When I pick my HP Printer the box lets me choose different things, including the sizing of the output. I find that choosing 140 or 150% fills my page without running off. Yours may differ, but on my computer it at least gives me a "Print Preview" that lets me know what it might look like.

Hope this helps.