Whenever you start a new crossword you are given the choice of various templates to choose from. These are just Crossword Compiler files with settings information which you can re-use to make new crosswords. Having different templates saves the bother of changing the settings each time you do a crossword, and you can have different templates with wildly different settings for the different types of puzzle you create.
There are four templates corresponding to the buttons in the New Puzzle window. These are called American, Default, Standard, and Shape. The Default template is used for freeform/vocabulary puzzles and Standard for cryptic or quick puzzles. The default template is also used whenever you open a crossword in a non-Crossword Compiler format. The standard templates aren’t listed in the New Crossword window, but you can still change them if you like.
Creating a new template
All you have to do is start a new crossword with one of the existing templates, change any settings that you want changed, and select Save as template... from under Templates on the File menu. Enter a name for the new template and press OK. Your new template will now be added to the list of available templates for use when you create a new crossword.
Changing an existing template
You may wish to do this to customize some of the default templates, or just to change the settings in an existing template. Just open a new puzzle using the existing template, make the changes, and select Save as template... from the File menu. You can now select the template's name from the drop-down list, or just type in the name of the template. You will be prompted to make sure you want to replace the template, and then the change will be made.
Opening a puzzle with settings from a different template
Each crossword file has its own settings information. However, you can open a puzzle with a different set of settings by selecting one of the existing templates when you open a crossword file. This could be very useful if someone sends you a Crossword Compiler file and you don't share their taste for puzzles with lime green squares and bright red lines.
Applying settings from a template to an open puzzle
Select Apply settings from template on the Templates section of the File menu to use the settings from a template file with the puzzle you are currently working on. The settings will replace whatever settings you are currently using for the current file.
Deleting a template
Select a template in the New Crossword window and press Delete. You cannot delete any of the four template corresponding to the buttons in the New Puzzle window.