A selection of len's - 'lifestream', games & research - from the archive.

'ADVANCED WORD-SEARCH'

When I ran out of puzzles to complete in the papers the other day, after 'CODEWORD', 'SUDOKU', 'SOKU', 'TRAINS', 'SUGURU','WORDWHEEL', even 'WORDSEARCH', and the 'QUICK CROSSWORD', I'll leave out the 'CRYPTIC CROSSWORD' for the present, and for that matter, 'COMPLEX COMPUTATIONAL SUDOKU', all I had left was
'Kids Word search'.

So that I wouldn't have to go back to work immediately, I decided to reconstitute the simple kid's puzzle and create more of a challenge.

Here is an example from the Observer, September 6, 2020:





The first thing then is to reconsider or break the rules:

So, I changed the instructions to read:

"Find as many words to do with calendars in the grid, but DO NOT read in straight lines - very bad indeed. And letter can only be used ONCE.

"Group the letters each word found in a sequential loop, reading forwards or backwards. Here is the first example, 'NOVEMBER':





So you get the idea. Continue until you get as many words on the list that you can. Using different colour lines can add a new dimension. For example:





The rules for measuring success in competition have not been determined at this time.

But using the colour pallet as indicated above, the grid cam be transformed by paint-filling the various word loops, leaving the unused letters for counting, say.





The whole exercise can be greatly enjoyed using Photoshop Layers, with the final piece surely a masterpiece of abstract art. Could well be submitted to the Royal Academy Summer Show, or given to your mum on Mother's Day, for her to hang in your old bedroom perhaps.





And finally:,






QED