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~ Arctan Computer Ventures' WordPuzzle Pro ~
Terminology - A Glossary of Terms
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The following is an alphabetically sorted list of common terms used within this Help Site relating to general crossword-related terminology, with underlined links to appropriate sections on this Help Site.
| Across | A word on the crossword grid that runs in a horizontal (across left-to-right) direction |
| Anagram | A word, which when its letters are rearranged, becomes another word - e.g. MOTE becomes TOME, or MOOT POINT becomes O MOTTO PIN |
| Clue | A hint to suggest what the word starting in a particular numbered grid might be |
| Crossword | The name for the complete puzzle - grid and clues - combined |
| Cryptic | A clue or set of clues that do not give a direct meaning for the crossword. Rather, they give an indirect clue, making use of various plays on words. |
| Down | A word on the crossword grid that runs in a vertical (down top-to-bottom) direction |
| Grid | The squares on which the crossword pattern of outs and spaces if formed. |
| Lexicon | A list of words without definitions |
| Out | A black square on the grid that denotes a space that is not part of a word. It is used to separate words on the grid. |
| Solver | One who attempts to find the solutions for a pre-prepared crossword - the ultimate user of your crossword. |
| Space | A space is a square on the grid (usually white) which is used as part of a word on the grid. |
| Straight | A simple clue that gives a directly equivalent definition for the word. This is more to do with general knowledge than puzzle solving. |
| Unkeyed | An unkeyed space on the grid is one that is part of only one clue. British crosswords tend to be unkeyed. |
The following is an alphabetically sorted list of common terms used within this Help Site relating to terms specific to the WordPuzzle Pro software, with underlined links to appropriate sections on this Help Site.
Many of these terms are also used in other contexts relating to computers, but are kept in this section as they have a very specific meaning with relation to the use of WordPuzzle Pro.
| Alternative Clue | Another type of clue for a crossword. Main clue could (for example) by a Straight clue, Alternative could be Cryptic, or vice versa. |
| Category | A classification for a crossword clue - e.g. Cryptic or Straight or Easy or Unusual etc. This helps to identify types of clues when searching the clue pool - e.g. you may wish to pick out only clues that are cryptic. |
| Clue, Multi-Part | See Multi-Part Clue |
| Clue Pool | A list of categorised clues that can be searched, browsed, and edited. The clues can be copied to any number of crosswords, thus giving a collection of reusable clues, thus minimizing the effort required for creating new clues, and establishing a standard definition for certain words and phrases. |
| Distributable | Type of file that is produced by WordPuzzle Pro that can be read by other users of the software for the purposes of solving the puzzle. Prevents the solver (without the correct password) from making amendments to the crossword, including property information. such as the author description. The file is also encrypted so as to prevent a user cheating by peeking at the answer using a text browser program. |
| Encrypted Distributable | See Distributable |
| Help Management System | A list of files that form the basis for help on WordPuzzle Pro program. Stored in a categorised hierarchical structure, so that the categories are fixed for the program, but the help files for that category can change, either by the user's request, or in future versions of the program. |
| Help Site | The files containing the help text for WordPuzzle Pro. |
| Mask | A Template for a word, used to find missing letters - e.g. PAL? would find PALE and PALM, PAL* would find PAL, PALE, PALM, PALACE, PALATE etc. |
| Multi-Part Clue | An answer that is made up of multiple words, which are placed at different positions on the crossword grid, rather than following straight on from each other. The words can be linked together by one clue. |
| Reflecting | Duplicating an out on the other side of the grid about the centre of the grid. This can be done either horizontally (copy from left to right and vice versa), vertically (copy from top to bottom and vice versa), or diagonally (reflect about both diagonal axis simultaneous, to give a 'twisting' effect). |
| Template | A crossword file that, when opened, creates a blank unsaved copy of itself, so that when saved, will save to a different location to the original template. |
| Unvalidated | A word that has not been checked for correctness before being added to the word list. |
| Validated | A word that has been checked for correctness, and is available in the word list. |
| Validation Process | The process of looking through the unvalidated words and deleting those that are not correct, or validating those that are correct. |
| Wildcards | Symbols such as ? and * used when searching for a particular word. Forms part of a MASK. |
| Word List | A list of words that can be searched using wildcards to find a word to fit a particular space. Anagrams can be found for such words. Also known as a lexicon. |
| Zooming | Increasing the magnification when looking at the word grid - i.e. making it look bigger and easier to read. Zooming in means making the squares bigger, zooming out means making them smaller. |
The following is an alphabetically sorted list of common terms used within this Help Site relating to general computer-related terminology, with underlined links to appropriate sections on this Help Site.
| Abandon | Change your mind and stop doing something. |
| Abort | See Abandon |
| Application | An example of Software. A program that contains a list of instructions to perform a particular task - e.g. WordPuzzle Pro is an application. |
| Bitmap | A file format for pictures. Bitmap filenames tend to end with .BMP |
| Bug | An error in the instructions that comprise a program causing the program to behave in an unexpected manner. |
| Cancel | See Abandon |
| Close | Stop doing something and clear it away - e.g. Close the program - stop using the program and make it disappear from the screen. |
| Cursor | When typing text, the cursor shows on the screen the place where the next letter will appear. The cursor automatically moved on a space as you are typing on the keyboard. |
| Crash | A computer or software failure caused by conflicting programs, hardware failure (e.g. faulty memory), electricity glitch, or program bug(s). |
| Delete | Remove or Throw Away. E.g. Delete a clue from the clue pool means remove the clue from the clue pool. |
| Desktop Publisher | A program to create publications by placing and layering images and text at locations on a page, and using design techniques to give a professional looking result. Often used by publishers to lay out their copy. |
| Directory | A place in which files of a particular type, or for a particular purpose, can be stored together. Sometimes called a folder - works like a filing folder - keep files together that are related using a particular heading. Directories can have sub-directories, which are folders within folders. This is necessary when the category which groups files together in not specific enough, and needs to be split into sub-categories. |
| Dialog Box | A box that pops-up on the screen to ask the user a question or give the user a choice - usually Yes / No, or OK/Cancel. |
| Edit | Change; Amend; Alter. As in edit the clue text which means change the clue. |
| Encryption | Encoding a file or piece of text so that it is unreadable other than by someone who has the key by which to decode it. Most codes can be decoded by someone with good knowledge of how codes work - known as hackers. |
| File | A piece of information, given a name (filename) and stored in a specific location (directory) usually on either a Hard Disk, Floppy Disk, or Compact Disk, so that it can be retrieved at a later date. For example, a word processed document is a file, and a WordPuzzle Pro crossword is a file. |
| File Extension | A dot followed by a number of letters (usually three) that denote a category for the file. For example, story.doc might be a word-processed document that is a story (.doc is used for word processed documents). WordPuzzle Pro stores its crossword grid, clues, and settings all together in one file, and identifies these by using an extension of (.xwd). So you know that any file that ends with .XWD is a crossword file. |
| Floppy Disk | A medium for storing files so that they can be recalled at a later date. Uses the same technology as cassette tapes, in that the information is stored as magnetically recorded pieces of information on a treated surface. These are physically small in size, and can be used to store information from one computer, and transfer it to another computer. Floppy disks hold a far smaller amount of information than hard disks - typically 5,000-20,000 times less! |
| Function | A task or tool within an application that performs a specific task - e.g. the anagram finder function. |
| Function Key | The keys across the top of the keyboard that are labelled F1 through to F12. These relate to specific tasks that can be performed in the program, and are used as a shortcut so that you don't have to reach for your mouse every time you want to perform a common task. |
| Freeware | Software that can be distributed freely without having to pay the author any money |
| Hardware | The physical components that make up your computer - e.g. Screen, base unit, memory chips, processor chip, hard disk, floppy disk, CD ROM drive, sound card, power source (PSU) etc. |
| Hard Disk | A medium for storing files so that they can be recalled at a later date. Uses the same technology as cassette tapes, in that the information is stored as magnetically recorded pieces of information on a treated surface. These tend to be fixed inside your computer and have a large capacity. |
| HTML | A file format or standardised way of writing a document that can be read by all web browsers. Acronym for HyperText Mark-up Language. |
| Installation | Copying the application software from some sort of media (e.g. floppy disk, CD ROM, files on your hard disk etc.) |
| Internet | Also known as the World Wide Web. The means by which computers all over the world are connected together in order to find information from anywhere in the world. |
| Internet Explorer | A Microsoft™-written program for searching and displaying HTML and other format documents either held on a person's own PC, or on the World Wide Web. |
| Java | A programming language conceived by Sun corporation that is known for its ability to work within virtually all web browsers (including Internet Explorer) and to work well across different types of computers for a variety of taks, particularly internet-related. |
| JavaScript | A 'scripting' language conceived by Sun corporation as a way of introducing automated tasks, calculations or more complex programs into Web pages. Not to be confused with Java, which is a complex multi-platform programming language. The interactive on-line crosswords produced by WordPuzzle Pro are generated using a mixture of JavaScript and HTML. |
| Keyboard | The device used for typing in text. Most commonly a 'QWERTY' keyboard, which refers to the start of the first row of letters on the keyboard. Originally designed to slow typists down. Subsequently became the standard for text entry. Touch typing techniques have been developed to help speed up users now that mechanical restrictions are irrelevant. |
| Keyboard Shortcut | A quick and easy way of accessing a function in the program using a combination of keys, usually involving the Ctrl or Alt key. See also Function Keys. |
| Link | In a HTML document, this is an underlined piece of text, which when it is clicked on, shows the user another document, or a different part of the same document, which relates to that piece of text. |
| Media | Physical means by which information is stored - e.g. Floppy Disk, Hard Disk, CD Rom, Internet Server etc. |
| Memory | A location in which information is stored. Usually refers to RAM memory or Random Access Memory, which only works whilst it has an electricity supply. This is fast to use, and thus programs and data are loaded from slow memory (like hard disks or CD roms) to fast memory (RAM) so that programs don't work too slowly. If the information is not saved back (stored back onto the disk etc.) before the power is removed from the computer, then the information will be lost. |
| Navigation | Locating required information by looking through a number of linked documents |
| Ok | A button with Ok means 'click on this if you want to go ahead and do this. |
| On-Line | When referring to the internet, this means that your computer has called a telephone number, and using the telephone line, is connected to a server so that you can retrieve or place information from/to the internet. |
| On-Line Help | Help information relating to an application that is available on the computer, usually direct from the application. |
| Open | Take a copy of a file from some sort of media (e.g. hard disk) and place it in memory to work on it. |
| Password | A word, phrase or number that must be entered in order to open a particular file |
| PC | Personal Computer. Specifically, refers to those computers that are based on, or derived from a particular type of processor, the Intel 8086 which dates back from the early 1980's. |
| Processor | The 'brains' of a computer. A piece of hardware that can understand particular key instructions called machine code. Programs are written in this machine code so that the processor can understand them and perform particular tasks. |
| Program | See Application |
| Registration | Informing the author of a piece of software that you are using that software. Often involved paying a sum of money for use of that software, and also often gives extra benefits such as additional functionality, support etc. |
| Registry | A set of Global information that is stored on the hard disk to customize how programs operate |
| Resolution | When someone refers to your Screen Resolution they are talking about how many dots make up the picture on the screen. So if someone says you have a screen resolution of 800x600, you know that as the screen is wider than it is tall, the width value must be the larger of the two, 800, and the height, 600. This means that there are 800 dots across and 600 dots down (rather like the squares on a crossword!) that make up the screen. So the total number of dots on the screen is 800x600=240,000 dots! The higher the values or 'resolution' for the same sized screen, the better or 'less grainy' the picture quality will be. |
| Save | Store a file that is held in memory onto a media such as hard or floppy disk, so that it can be used at a later date after the power has been switched off on the computer. |
| Server | A computer that holds information and/or performs functions that can be shared with a large number of other computers. E.g. a Web Server might be able to give information to a large number of people browsing on the 'web' simultaneously. |
| Shareware | A concept where the user can try a piece of software for a fixed period of time before having to pay for it. The software may be freely distributed in its shareware form. This is not freeware, in that if the user continues to use the software, there is an ethical and legal obligation to pay for and register the software. |
| Shortcut | Can mean a Keyboard Shortcut or an icon that links to a program to start the program. |
| Software | Generic name for applications. These are electronically stored sets of instructions to perform a particular task. The Soft refers to the fact that the applications themselves are not a physical thing that you can hold - they are a set of instructions recorded electronically, rather like a cassette does not contain the orchestra or band who made the music, but is rather a reproduction of this in an electronically stored form. |
| Synchronizing | Taking information stored in two different places, and updating one or both pieces of information so that it is the same as the other. For example, Synchronizing Category Lists would mean ensuring that both lists have all the same categories in them. |
| Terminate | Close; End; Finish; Exit. When applied to a program, means to finish using the program. An application can also terminate due to a bug causing an unexpected result. |
| Uninstallation | The process of removing a program from a computer when it is no longer required. |
| User | Person who makes use of a computer or a piece of software. |
| Web Browser | A program that displays pages of
information formatted in a specially defined way - typically HTML. Often used for looking
at information that is stored on the internet. More recent web browsers have extra facilities, such as programs written in different languages such as JavaScript, Java, as well as technologies such as Dynamic HTML and XML. |
| Web Site | A number of documents stored on a Web Server that can be accessed by anyone who has access to the internet. Most ISPs (Internet Service Providers) let you create your own Web Site, and give you a certain amount of space free in which to place your pages of information. |
| Word Processor | A program used for writing text documents. Originally used mainly as a replacement to the typewriter, its functionality now rivals and in some ways exceeds that of the desktop publisher. |
| World Wide Web (WWW) | See Internet |
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This Page was last updated: 06 July 2001 23:31