LADDERWORD PUZZLE CONSTRUCTION

A LADDERWORD Puzzle consists of a number of rows of cells having the following form:-

FLIER   T   TRIFLE   E   FERTILE

It is easy to see that the second word is an anagram of the first word plus the first single letter. Similarly, the third word is an anagram of the second word plus the second single letter. When a number of such lines are collected together into a puzzle, the single letters combine to form two vertical Anchor words.

Menu Functions

  • File Menu
    • Select a Dictionary
      When loading a new puzzle into the Build screen, you begin by selecting the dictionary which was used to build the LADDERWORD puzzle which you want to load.

    • Load a Puzzle
      Then you choose your puzzle from the pool of LADDERWORD puzzles currently available in the selected dictionary.

    • Save
      If you have done some manual editing of the puzzle, this option will save those changes under the existing file name.

    • SaveAs
      This option allows you to make an exact copy of the current puzzle using a different file name. The copy will be saved in the folder of the dictionary that was used to construct it. Alternatively, if you don't enter a new name for the puzzle, you can change the Puzzle Description, or any of the other descriptive items without changing the puzzle name.

    • Quit Construction
      Returns you to the Magnum Opus opening screen.

  • Build Menu
    • Select a Dictionary
      Use this option to select the dictionary which you want to use to build the new LADDERWORD puzzle.

    • Start a New Puzzle
      This option presents you with a dialog into which you can enter a file name for your new puzzle. You can also enter several other pieces of information such as a Puzzle Title, Author and Copyright information.

    • Build Options
      Use this option to access a Build Options dialog where you can set some rules to be followed by the puzzle building function as it builds your puzzle.

    • Start / Stop Building
      Construction of the puzzle will commence when you select the Start / Stop Building option. If puzzle building is successful you will receive a message containing the name of the puzzle file, and the location where it was saved. If it becomes necessary, you can interrupt the building process by selecting this option a second time.

    • Suggest Anagrams
      If you don't like any of the words which have been inserted into the puzzle you have an option of changing them. Mouse click into the word you don’t like, and then select this option. You will be presented with a selection box containing all of the possibilities. Select the one you want and click OK. Your selection will be placed automatically into the correct location in the puzzle, and any subsequent words affected by the change will also be replaced.

    • Edit a Clue
      Mouse clicking into any word in the puzzle, and then selecting this option will give you an opportunity to edit the existing clue if there is one, or to enter a new clue if there isn't. If you click OK in the Edit Clue dialog, the puzzle will be saved automatically with the edited clue in place. If you decide not to save your editing, simply click Cancel.

  • View Menu
    • Display Options
      This leads you to a dialog box in which you can change the colors of various elements within the puzzle, and control the fonts which will be used for the puzzle's text components. You can also decide if printing of the puzzle will be done in black and white or in color.

  • Tasks Menu
    • Print this Puzzle
      This will take you to a custom print screen where you can control the details involved with printing your puzzle.

    • Solve this Puzzle
      This will take you to a Solve screen which provides a fully interactive environment for solving the puzzle.

    • Export as Applet
      This option will export a set of files which implement a fully working interactive LADDERWORD puzzle as a Java Applet. These files can be uploaded to your web server to enable you to publish interactive puzzles in your own web pages. Read the topic  Exporting an Applet  for more details.

    • Delete this Puzzle
      Use this option to eliminate unwanted LADDERWORD puzzles from your file system.

  • Help Menu
    • Ladderword Help
      Displays the Help screen which you are now reading.