Introduction to WordSearch

WordSearch is a Python class for creating wordsearch puzzles.

Installation:

The PyValem package can be installed either from PyPI using pip

python3 -m pip install python-wordsearch

or from the source by running (one of the two) from the project source directory.

# either
python setup.py install

# or
python3 -m pip install .

Examples:

Creating a Word Search Puzzle

A WordSearch object can be created with the following arguments to generate a word-search:

• nrows, ncols: the dimensions of the word-search grid
• wordlist or wordlist_filename: a list of words or the filename of a text file containing the words (one per line).
• output_filestem: forms the base of the filename to use for the output SVG image. Defaults to 'wordsearch', which will produced files called 'wordsearch-search.svg' and 'wordsearch-search-solution.svg'.
• mask (optional): defines the shape of the word-search (None, 'circle' or 'squares').
• allow_backwards_words: defaults to False.

  >>> from wordsearch import WordSearch

  >>> wordsearch = WordSearch(
 ...:     15,
 ...:     15,
 ...:     [
 ...:         "BOXER",
 ...:         "DASCHUND",
 ...:         "AIREDALE",
 ...:         "BORZOI",
 ...:         "LABRADOR",
 ...:         "CHIHUAHUA",
 ...:         "GREYHOUND",
 ...:         "POMERANIAN",
 ...:     ],
 ...:     mask="circle",
 ...:     output_filestem="dog-search",
 ...:     allow_backwards_words=True,
 ...: )

 >>> wordsearch.make()
(True, 'Fitted the words in 1 attempt(s)')

 >>> print(wordsearch.wordsearch_text)
            C K I Z H
        L L H E S Z R I L
      R E F I L H W Y D Y R
    S W C X H A J M W G R P G
    P Q M R U D P Y M M O I R
  F D D E P A E A B J M D D E W
  A I X C O H R I L E O P A Y Y
  P O D G B U I N R L D D S H B
  B Y V A A A A A C A U A C O U
  I O Z R O B N K A B B Q H U E
    Z V H C I Q U P R D D U N
    O M A A K U Q G A D Y N D
      I N L C E F W D T I D
        L L X X G W O A I
            M J Z C R
  POMERANIAN
  CHIHUAHUA
  GREYHOUND
  DASCHUND
  AIREDALE
  LABRADOR
  BORZOI
  BOXER

Output to an SVG file is also possible:

>>> wordsearch.write_wordsearch_and_solution_svg()

which produces the image: