VIDEO: Design your own crossword puzzle
The instructions apply to Word 2010. With older versions, you can design a picture crossword yourself in a similar way.
How to design the puzzle yourself in Word
- The basis of the crossword puzzle is a table. Click on “Table” in the “Insert” menu and select “Insert table” from this menu. A dialog box appears in which you can enter the desired number of columns and rows. In both cases, select 20 and confirm. You can see that a table with 20 rows and 20 columns each is inserted. It is better to choose a slightly larger table at the beginning. You can delete rows and columns that are not required later.
- To give the individual fields a square shape, move the mouse into the lower right corner of the table until the pointer changes into a double arrow. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the mouse down. The lines enlarge. Set the desired box size in this way.
- Now enter the first term you want to guess in the table so that there is a letter in each box. It is best to start with as long a word as possible and write it horizontally or vertically in the middle. Since the text will later be deleted, you do not have to pay attention to upper or lower case or the text alignment.
- Now insert a suitable graphic in the field immediately in front of this word. You can find out how this works and how to reduce the size of the image in the second section.
- The picture will initially enlarge the table field. If you reduce the size of the image, the table adapts itself again. Do not be bothered if the rows and columns are initially unevenly distributed or the image appears too small. You will do this fine-tuning later.
- To write Now add more terms to the table, using at least one letter from another word for each word. Insert a suitable picture in the field in front of the word.
- When you have entered enough terms, you can delete the unused rows and columns. To do this, click in any field in these rows or columns, click with the right mouse button and select "Delete cells" in the context menu. In the following dialog box you have to mark whether you want to delete the entire column or row.
- You can now enlarge the table again using the lower right corner. You can use the context menu that you get by right-clicking on the selected table to distribute the columns and rows evenly.
- In most cases, you will then also have more space for the graphics, which you can also drag out a little larger. If the pictures still seem too small to you, right-click on the graphic, go to "Line break" in the context menu and select "Before the text". You can now enlarge or move the graphic without changing the table.
- Now select the entire table and click in the “Start” menu in the “Paragraph” group on the symbol for the frame lines. Select “No frame” there. All borders of the table disappear.
- Now you have to mark each word individually, without the graphic, and select “All frame lines” in the same menu.
- If you want, you can save this completed crossword puzzle as a solution template. However, since the terms should be guessed, you must finally delete the text from the table fields.
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Where to find pictures for the crossword puzzle
- Word offers you a large collection of clip art that you can use to design your crossword puzzle. To do this, click on “Insert” and in the “Illustrations” group on “Clip Art”. A field opens in which you can enter your search term. It is best to choose "Illustrations" as the media file type. When you click the picture, it is inserted at the cursor position.
- Perhaps you have already saved image files on your computer or an external storage medium. In this case, click on “Graphics” in the “Illustrations” group and select the appropriate path and file. In the same way, you can use images that you have drawn and scanned yourself.
- You can also get free Clip art collections use on the internet. Pay attention to the copyright regulations. Right-click the picture and click on "Copy" in the context menu. Then select "Paste" in the context menu in the Word document.
- You can reduce the size of an inserted picture by marking it, placing the cursor on one of the corners and dragging the corner inwards while holding down the left mouse button.
