Publishing puzzles
Learn how to publish and distribute your puzzles using various methods and platforms.
The Publish page is where you access all the options to get embed codes, sharing links, and other distribution methods for your puzzles or series pickers. This page is accessed by clicking the "Publish" button on the Preview page.
At the top, you may see a banner with important information, and a back button to return to the Preview page.
The main content area is organized into tabs for different publishing methods.
Select a tab to view the specific options and codes. Use the "Copy" button within each tab to copy the relevant code or link to your clipboard.
If a puzzle is unpublished, information about its unpublished status might be displayed within the Embed, Direct Link, and WordPress tabs.
Publish options
Direct link
Use this tab to get a direct URL for your puzzle or picker. This link is suitable for sharing via email, social media, or for embedding on platforms supporting oEmbed (like Medium or Reddit). A QR code is also provided, which can be scanned or downloaded for use in print or presentations.
Embed
This tab provides code snippets for embedding the puzzle or picker directly into your website or blog. Two common methods are available:
- JS embed: The recommended method for most users, providing better compatibility with some PuzzleMe™ features.
- iFrame embed: A standard HTML iframe code. You can typically adjust parameters like iframe height directly in the provided code snippets.
WordPress
If you use WordPress, this tab provides the necessary shortcode to easily embed your puzzle or picker using the PuzzleMe WordPress plugin. See our specific WordPress documentation for more details on plugin installation and usage.
Test Solve
This tab provides a special link intended only for test solvers to provide feedback on draft puzzles, even unpublished ones. Test solve links include a commenting feature (Disqus-based) in the puzzle player, allowing test solvers to provide their comments. Do not share these links publicly. Test solve links are not available for series pickers.
Download as CSV
You can download and export the contents of your puzzles in the form of CSV files. The CSV file contains a list of rows, where each row represents a single word in a puzzle. You can download the CSV file contents for individual puzzles, as well as all the puzzles in a series. Only the content of Crosswords, Wordrows, Word Searches, Codewords, Kriss Kross and Word Flowers can be downloaded as a CSV. The content of other games such as Quiz and Sudoku cannot be downloaded.
Print
This section offers options to export the puzzle content for printing or saving as a PDF. You can typically choose to print the game grid, the solution, an empty grid, or clues and answers. For some puzzles, an SVG vector image export might also be available. Print options are generally not available for series pickers or certain puzzle types (like Word Flower, Wordrow, Quiz).
Google Classroom
This tab initiates the process for sharing a puzzle as a Google Classroom assignment. This integration has specific requirements: it works only for certain puzzle types (Crossword and Sudoku) and requires you to be logged in via Google on a personal plan. Refer to the Google Classroom integration guide for complete details.
Slack
You can now share your puzzle on the Slack app by adding PuzzleMe For Teams to your Slack. Refer to the Slack integration guide for complete details.
Spectator Mode
Spectator mode is a new feature of PuzzleMe, designed for live crossword events and contests. It allows you to view and broadcast a screen with multiple solvers solving their puzzles simultaneously
Spectator mode is available on PuzzleMe's professional and enterprise plans. It can be accessed from the Publish page of a crossword puzzle and can be enabled on a per-series level. If the Spectator Mode button is disabled, please get in touch with us.
Refer to Spectator mode guide for complete details.
FAQ
I have embedded the puzzle. If I update the game, then do I need to update the embed link?
Great question! The short answer is no — you don't need to update the embed code. We've designed the embedding process to be simple: any changes you make to the game will automatically be reflected, with no need to touch the embed code.
Publish Options Availability
The following table illustrates which publish options are available for what puzzle types:
| Option | Puzzles | Pickers |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Link | ✅ | ✅ |
| Embed | ✅ | ✅ |
| WordPress | ✅ | ✅ |
| Test Solve | ✅ | ❌ |
| Download as CSV | Crossword, Codeword, Word Flower, Word Search, WordroW, Kriss Kross | ✅ |
| Crossword, Codeword, Word Search, Kriss Kross, Sudoku | ❌ | |
| Google Classroom | Sudoku & Crossword, only for PuzzleMe accounts with Google login | ❌ |
| Slack | ✅ | ❌ |
| Spectator Mode | Only on Professional & Enterprise plans | ❌ |
| Wix | ✅ | ✅ |
| Notion | ✅ | ✅ |
| WhatsApp Share | ✅ | ❌ |
| X Share | ✅ | ❌ |
| Facebook Share | ✅ | ❌ |
| Bluesky Share | ✅ | ❌ |
| LinkedIn Share | ✅ | ❌ |