Copyright: ** Copyright Astro Computing 1995 **


Table of Contents
  Word Search - Table of Contents

How To Word Search

Menu Commands

File

Changing the Puzzle

Printing the Puzzle

Quitting WordSearch

Edit

Resetting the Puzzle

Showing & Hiding Word Lists

Sound On & Off

ChangeColors

Registering Word Search

Help

How to Play

Getting Hints

About Astro Computing

Other Programs by Astro Computing

About Word Search


  How to Play Word Search

The object of Word Search is to find each of the words listed in the puzzle.  The words can be hidden up or down, backwards or forward, or diagonally.  Only letters are in the puzzle.  All numbers, spaces, and punctuation marks are not in the puzzle.  For example, if the word in the list is "1. Mr. Duck's beak" you would look for "MRDUCKSBEAK".

To mark words, click the mouse button on either the first letter of the word.  This will highlight the letter.  Then click on the letter on the letter of the word.  If you are correct, the computer will draw a line through the word and mark it off the word list.

An alternate way to mark words is to drag the mouse from one end to the other of the word.  Press the mouse down on the letter on one end of the word.  While holding the mouse button down, move it to the other end of the word and release it.  The computer will draw a line as you drag the mouse.  Again, if you are correct, the computer will draw a line through the word and mark it off the word list.

Some small words (two or three letters) may be in the puzzle more than once.  The computer will only accept one specific occurance of the word. If it doesn't mark a word, look for it in a different place.  Also some words may be part of another word in the list.  The smaller word will appear somewhere else in the puzzle.  For example, PSI is part of EPSILON so PSI will be in a different location from EPSILON.

The computer will inform you when all the words are marked correctly.   You can reset the puzzle and do it again, or save it.  You can also come back later and reset it if you want.

Finally, if you get stuck on a word, you can ask the computer for a hint by selecting the Cheat command in the Help menu.


Changing Puzzles
  Changing to a New Puzzle

Select File - Change Puzzle - Category - Puzzle Name from the menu bar.

Use this command to go to a new puzzle.  You can either start a new puzzle or return to a puzzle you have worked on previously.  The puzzle you are leaving will be saved, so you can return to it and finish later.

There are five categories of puzzles:  People, Places, Things, Words, and Sports.  In the registered version of the program there are twenty puzzles in each category (one hundred puzzles in all.)  In the shareware version there are two puzzles in each category.  Most of the puzzles are arranged from easiest to most difficult.

To the left of the puzzle title in the menu, there is a small box.  The box starts out empty, but as you find more words it fills with red.  When the puzzle is completed the box will be red.  This lets you quickly see which puzzles have been finished.


Printing Puzzles
  Printing a Puzzle

Select File - Print from the menu bar.

Use this command to go to print the current puzzle.


  Ending Word Search

Select System - Exit or from the Menu bar or Ctrl-X from the program.

This command ends the game and returns to windows.  All work done during this session will be saved.  When you sign on again, the program will start where you left it.


  Resetting the Puzzle

Select Edit - Reset or from the Menu.

Use this command to start over with the same puzzle.  It unmarks all the words.  You cannot undo this, so any work you have done will be lost.


Showing or Hiding Word List
  Show or Hide the Word Lists

Select Edit - Show Word Lists or  Hide Word Lists from the Menu.

Use this command to show or hide the word lists.  Initially the word lists will be shown on the screen.  If you wish to try to solve the puzzle without seeing the word lists select Hide Word Lists on the menu.  You can easily see the words again by selecting Show Word Lists on the menu.


  Sound On or Off

Select Edit - Sound On or  Sound Off from the Menu.

The only sound the program makes is a beep when you correctly find a word in the puzzle.

You can turn the sound off by  selecting Sound Off on the menu.  You can turn it back on again by selecting Sound On.


Changing Colors
  Change Colors

Select Edit - Change Colors - Color1/Color2/Mono from the Menu.

This command allows you to change the colors used to mark words in the puzzle.

There are three color schemes, two  for color monitors and one for monochrome monitors.

The default color scheme,Color1, uses one color to mark all words.

The other color scheme, Color2, uses different colors to mark the rows.  It uses a different color for each direction.  In other words if you find a word going UP it will mark it a different color from a word going DOWN.  All words going the same direction are marked with the same color.

The final selection, Mono, is for monochrome monitors.  It marks all the rows with a grey line.

The scheme chosen will be saved and used next time you start the program.


  Registering Word Search

 (Thank you)

Select Register from the menu bar or Select the YES button on the opening form.

This command loads a new form which will allow you to register this program and get one hundred Word Search puzzles.  Several other programs by Astro Computing are listed.  They are only $10 each or three for $25.

 Send orders to:

Astro Computing

P.O. Box 1247

Abingdon, VA  24212

You can also see a discription of these other programs  by selecting the Help - Other Programs by Astro on the menu bar.


Getting a Hint
  Getting Hints

Select Help - Cheat from the menu bar.

If you are stuck and can't find a word, this command will find it for you.

The computer will keep track if you get help so it warns you the first time you select this option.  If you still want a hint, just click the mouse on a word in either word list.  The word will be marked off.


  About Astro Computing

Select Help - About Astro Computing from the menu bar.

This command displays a form telling about our company.


  Other Programs by Astro Computing

Select Help - Other Programs by Astro from the menu bar.

This command opens a help file which gives a discription of programs we have to offer.  They sell for $10 each or three for $25.  They all come in a shareware version  for just $2 each if you want to just try them out.  ($10 minimum order please)


  About Word Search

Select Help - About from the menu.

This command displays the version number of your copy of Word Search, the copyright notice, and other information about Astro Computing.  It also shows your free memory left.  This information is helpful when corresponding with the author.