XWord Muggles Forum

An Across Lite version of each Friday Contest Crossword is available at 4:07 PM ET on Thursday at
https://tinyurl.com/mugglespuz

Across Lite is a free solving program for PC Mac. It may be downloaded at
https://www.litsoft.com/across/alite/download/

Many other solving programs and apps, including several for smartphones, also read Across Lite files.

Note: Chrome will quarantine the file if you click the link above, meaning you have to confirm with "Keep." You can avoid that, if you want, by copying the link and pasting into the browser address area. (It's an interaction between https and http.) But ignoring the Chrome warning and clicking Keep is perfectly safe.

Does anyone know of an IPhone app that will allow me to solve a PUZ file? Across lite is not available for the IPhone only IPad. I downloaded PUZZAZZ but that does not seem to have a way to import puz files except from their listed content providers.

I would love to be able ot do a puzzle when I am away, but I don't own and IPad.

DrTom wrote: ↑Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:13 pm Does anyone know of an IPhone app that will allow me to solve a PUZ file? Across lite is not available for the IPhone only IPad. I downloaded PUZZAZZ but that does not seem to have a way to import puz files except from their listed content providers.

I would love to be able ot do a puzzle when I am away, but I don't own and IPad.

I use puzzazz on my iphone. To open a .puz file, you have to download it in a browser or find it in your files and then open it with puzzazz. It's a bit convoluted - Apple's fault, not puzzazz's, I think. I wrote up a detailed explanation once, complete with 8x10 glossy photos and circles and arrows and a description on the back. I'll see if I can find it and link it here.

Wow, the search feature on this board works well! Here it is:

https://www.xword-muggles.com/forums/vi ... azz#p41983

Sort of related...

Could anyone tell me why wsj puz files are not allowed to be opened in Puzzazz, but are allowed in AcrossLite?

(Last month I resubmitted my plea to wsj to allow it. Had inquired a long time back about Puzzazz support, but didn’t know at that time whether AcrossLite was in use for wsj puzzles. Haven’t really gotten a clear response yet).

The Across Lite version has a new link, which will open with one click from this post (it's https). It's

https://tinyurl.com/weeklymeta

BethA wrote: ↑Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:59 pm Sort of related...

Could anyone tell me why wsj puz files are not allowed to be opened in Puzzazz, but are allowed in AcrossLite?

The new puz link Martin just posted above this post opens the WSJ in Puzzazz for me. I will add this new link to the calendar.

Abide wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:06 am

BethA wrote: ↑Sat Mar 06, 2021 5:59 pm Sort of related...

Could anyone tell me why wsj puz files are not allowed to be opened in Puzzazz, but are allowed in AcrossLite?

The new puz link Martin just posted above this post opens the WSJ in Puzzazz for me. I will add this new link to the calendar.

That’s great!

But give me an inch and I’ll take (or want) a mile! I was hoping to get any of the daily WSJ puzzles to load in Puzzazz, not only the Friday meta. Is there any chance of that?

BethA wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 3:15 pm
But give me an inch and I’ll take (or want) a mile! I was hoping to get any of the daily WSJ puzzles to load in Puzzazz, not only the Friday meta. Is there any chance of that?

Well, since you asked so nicely...
https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/21-wsj.html

Nope, still doesn’t work

I use

https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/21-wsj.html

and always get a .puz file.

I can get the .puz file, and it works fine in Across Lite on a computer or iPad. But Across Lite doesn't run on iPhones, and Puzzazz on an iPhone won't open the weekday files.

BarbaraK wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:29 pm I can get the .puz file, and it works fine in Across Lite on a computer or iPad. But Across Lite doesn't run on iPhones, and Puzzazz on an iPhone won't open the weekday files.

Try renaming the file to something without "wsj" in it?

boharr wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:21 pm I use

https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/21-wsj.html

and always get a .puz file.

xyzzy! The magic word!!! (from good ol' Colossal Cave Adventure)

EDIT: I never watched Halt and Catch Fire, but I've seen chatter in this forum from a few fans. That game must play a part in the series? ...and may finally convince me to watch more than one episode of the show. Anyway, AMC put up a version of the game to play!

https://www.amc.com/shows/halt-and-catc ... -adventure

I played it back in the early 80's. And remember I was so proud of myself for finally getting a perfect score game. To this day I even remember the tip for getting that final elusive 250th point, though I've forgotten many of the other steps of the game. I saved a printout of my perfect game for quite a while, but that's long gone now. As I was solving, I even drew (by hand, on paper) maps/instructions for the two mazes so I'd remember the moves once I ever-so-painfully figured them out. Yeesh what a nerd. I'm glad I'm SO much cooler now.

Hector wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:24 pm

BarbaraK wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:29 pm I can get the .puz file, and it works fine in Across Lite on a computer or iPad. But Across Lite doesn't run on iPhones, and Puzzazz on an iPhone won't open the weekday files.

Try renaming the file to something without "wsj" in it?

It worked!! Thank you!

Hector wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:24 pm

BarbaraK wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:29 pm I can get the .puz file, and it works fine in Across Lite on a computer or iPad. But Across Lite doesn't run on iPhones, and Puzzazz on an iPhone won't open the weekday files.

Try renaming the file to something without "wsj" in it?

Thanks so much, Hector! I had no idea it would be that easy! I feel like Dorothy when Glinda tells her that she’s always had the power to return home!

Thanks to everyone else participating in the discussion, too. Glad there are more than just me interested in it.

Hee, hee! Glad it works. Given Barbara's screenshot, it was clear that puzzazz somehow determines that the dailies are WSJ puzzles, but fails to on the contest ones . . . which are named simply contest.puz.

I'll await the letter from WSJ's attorney.

I cant open NYT or wsj crosswords in across lite in recent iPad update.is my only option to pay for premium?

NYT is no longer doing .puz versions. Solving on their apps is the only non-bandit way to do it. WSJ does provide .puz files, as I understand, but you often have to rename them to eliminate "wsj" in the filename for at least one app (puzzazz?) to open them (which in itself is probably at least a little banditty). Ten or more years ago I would understand considering this a problem, but these days I wouldn't consider it much of a loss to do without them given the abundance of really excellent crosswords out there, most of them free.

PUZ versions of the WSJ puzzles can also be downloaded here (Will Johnston's Puzzle Pointers Page)