Crossword Grid

Gino D's GIMP Scripts: https://sites.google.com/site/ginodonig/gimp-scripts

Overview

This script creates an image filled with a texture that represents a crossword grid featuring a random distribution of shaded cells.

It provides several options to define the characteristics of the pattern, making it possible to obtain styles and variants of crosswords that break with tradition, in the sense that the generated grids can be colorful, not symmetrical, oblong and so on.

Activating the script

Once installed, you can access this script in the image window menu through
"File -> Create -> Patterns -> Crossword Grid...".

Options

 

Number of columns, Number of rows

Specify the horizontal and vertical size of the crossword grid as a number of cells in the corresponding direction.
Values can range from 8 to 32.

Cell width, Cell height

Define the width and the height (in pixels) of every cell.
Values can range from 16 to 64.

Color of lights

Sets the background color of the cells where the letters are to be written.

Color of blocks

Sets the color of the shaded cells which separate the answers.

Color of borders

Sets the color of the borders of cells and grid.

Cell border thickness

Defines the thickness (in pixels) of the inner border of every cell.
Values can range from 0 to 4.

Grid border thickness

Defines the thickness (in pixels) of the outer border of the whole grid.
Values can range from 0 to 16.

Block margins

Controls the distance (in pixels) between the cell border and the edges of any block.
Values vary within a range of 0 to 16.

Maximum answer length

Specifies the maximum allowed length for the answers.
Values can range from 8 to 32.

Ensure 180-degree rotational symmetry

Checking this box will cause the crossword grid to appear the same if turned upside down.

Add clue numbers

When activated, this checkbox causes the numbering of the cells in which the answers begin.

Size of digit

As for the clue numbers, here you can specify the size of a single digit as a percentage of the cell height.
Values vary within a range of 25 to 50.

Text color

Sets the color of the clue numbers.

Font

Lets you select the font for rendering the clue numbers.

Random behavior

With these options, you can influence the haphazard way the pattern will be generated, by selecting the method through which to obtain the random seed, that is the integer number which determines the randomness of the arrangement of the shaded cells in the crossword grid that is to be created. In general, different random seeds lead to different grids.

• Generate random seed automatically:
  the random seed will be automatically and randomly generated.
• Retrieve last random seed used:
  the random seed will remain the same as the last pattern created (namely the grid generated in the most recent execution of the script), so as to produce the same or a similar result in terms of distribution of the shaded cells.
• Specify random seed explicitly:
  the random seed will have to be entered manually with the special slider and input box below.

Specific random seed

Enables you to choose a specific random seed for the crossword grid to create, as long as "Random behavior" is set to the pertinent option.
Values vary within a range of 1 to 2147483646.

Keep layers separate

By checking this box, you will obtain a multi-layer image, where each layer depicts a different element of the crossword grid (Background, Blocks, Clue Numbers, Cell Borders, Grid Border). This separation will give you the possibility to modify the content of any of such layers at a later time, by optionally filling them with a different color or even with a texture or a gradient.

The script also records a summary of the crossword grid's characteristics into the image comment of the generated pattern, where the script settings will be listed side by side with the corresponding specified values, as shown in the illustration below. Several file formats (XCF, PNG, JPEG, etc.) can save this information, on which it is handy to draw up when you want to reproduce all or some of the listed features on subsequent grids.
You can access the image comment from the image menubar through "Image -> Image Properties" by selecting the "Comments" tab.