Crossword Express GrandTour puzzles are normally built on a rectangular grid (although other shapes are possible). The grid is defined by an array of dots which represent the corners of the cells within the grid. Some of the cells in this grid contain a single digit number between 0 and 3 inclusive. The remaining cells are blank.
To solve such a puzzle, the solver must join selected dots with horizontal or vertical lines so that a single loop is formed which does not cross over itself. If a cell contains a number, then that number of sides of the cell must be included within the loop.
The puzzles have unique solutions, and no guessing is required to complete the solution.
Here is the solution to the puzzle shown above.
As you gain experience with the solving of these puzzles, you will recognize a number of techniques which will allow you to complete portions of the solution. The most obvious one to get you started is to look for cells which contain the digit zero. This will immediately give you four line segments which can not be included in the solution loop. You can indicate this this by means of a series of crosses to indicate that no line will be drawn in these locations. Also, when you have two or more 3s in close proximity to each other, you can usually insert/remove a number of line segments.
Whenever the solution proceeds to the point where two line segments meet at a point, then any other line segments converging onto this point can not be part of the solution.
Grand Tour puzzles are most often created on a square or rectangular pattern. However, just like crossword and wordsearch puzzles, they can also be made in an unlimited range of shapes, and the method of doing it is the same. When defining the Grand Tour puzzle, instead of selecting the Across and Down dimensions, you simply select a Template instead. Several Templates are provided with the program, but you can use the Lattice Maintenance function to build a collection of Templates having whatever size and shape you desire.
As with all Crossword Express puzzles, there is a Java applet which allows the puzzles to be published interactively on the Internet. An example of this can be tried out by clicking the graphic image at the left. This Applet can be used at no extra cost by registered owners of the Pro version of Crossword Express.
Initially, the applet displays a set of grey guide lines between the dots. These lines can be converted to full lines by pointing to an area near the middle of the line, and clicking the mouse. A second click will remove all trace of the line, and a third click will restore the grey guide line.
The applet includes three puzzles of varying difficulty for you to try.
If you point your mouse cursor to any location within the bounds of the puzzle, then most web browsers will dispaly a set of icons in the top left hand corner of the puzzle area. One of these icons will be a printer, and clicking it will result in the puzzle being sent to your printer.