A typical
WORDSEARCH puzzle consists of a matrix of letters in which a number of words are embedded. The words
may run up or down, forward or backward, or in any diagonal direction. The Magnum Opus version of this puzzle takes its words from a Theme dictionary, and
under normal circunstances the program will generate a puzzle in which every letter of the puzzle is linked into at least one of the words of the puzzle. This is
sometimes referred to as a
Full House puzzle. In addition, it will be normal for each word in the puzzle to intersect with at
least one of the other words.
If your dictionary contains insufficient words for these requirements to be met, then the program will revert to a construction mode in which
some of the letters will not be part of a word. This construction behaviour may begin immediately if it is clear that insufficient words are available to fill
the puzzle completely, or it may commence after an attempt to build a
Full House puzzle has proved to be unsuccessful. In any
event, this is a decision which is taken care of automatically by the program.
Puzzles can also be constructed so that they contain a
Hidden Message which can be read out from those cells
which are not occupied by any of the words.