Mechapuzzle

Mechapuzzle is a web-based tool for analyzing crossword puzzle files. It provides insights into grid structure, letter distribution, clue lengths, and potential theme elements.

Features

• File Support: Supports .puz, .xml, .jpz, .ipuz, and other common crossword formats.
• Interactive Grid: Visualize the puzzle grid with hover tooltips for clues and the ability to highlight specific letters.
• Statistical Analysis:
  • Letter Frequency: Compare the puzzle's letter distribution against a standard English crossword distribution.
  • Clue Lengths: Statistics on word counts in clues.
  • Entry Lengths: distribution of answer lengths.
• Theme Analysis: Identifies potential theme entries based on length, starred clues, and common substrings.
• Modern Interface: Clean, tabbed interface with drag-and-drop file support.

Technologies Used

• Chart.js: For interactive data visualization.
• JSCrossword: For parsing various crossword file formats.
• Vanilla JavaScript & CSS: No heavy frameworks, ensuring fast load times.

How to Use

1. Open index.html in a modern web browser.
2. Drag and drop a crossword file onto the upload zone, or click the "Select File" button.
3. Navigate through the tabs (Grid, Theme, Clues, Entries, Rawdata) to explore the analysis.

Development

The project is structured with a clear separation of concerns:

• js/grid.js: Grid rendering and letter frequency logic.
• js/clues.js: Clue analysis and listing.
• js/entries.js: Answer/entry length statistics.
• js/theme.js: Heuristics for theme detection.
• css/styles.css: Modernized styling using CSS variables.

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Mechapuzzle - A tool for crossword enthusiasts and constructors.