in reply to (Golf) Word squares

This assumes that your list of words can fit together to form such a square. Obviously there is going to be a finite number of such squares, and I would think that it wouldn't be an incredibly huge number, since it's fairly difficult to come up with a set of words that works (and it gets even harder if you want a larger square).

It would be interesting to see a program that crunches through a word list (such as /usr/share/lib/dict/words) and 'discovers' combinations of words that can be made into word squares.

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Re: Re: (Golf) Word squares
by blakem (Monsignor) on Aug 13, 2001 at 22:20 UTC
    Actually they are more numerous than you might think... I played around with them a looong time ago, and came up with this one for my last name 'Mills'.

    • Mills' Idiom: "Lingo, Logic, Smock."
      M I L L S
      I D I O M
      L I N G O
      L O G I C
      S M O C K
    Any suggestion as to what "Lingo, Logic, Smock" might mean?

    I'll update this node with the code I used, as soon as I can find it.

    -Blake

[reply]
Re: Re: (Golf) Word squares
by japhy (Canon) on Aug 13, 2001 at 22:13 UTC
    Well, the idea is you're given a set of words that will fit into such a grid.

    As for your request, I think it wouldn't be too challenging to write such a program. I shall try now.

    _____________________________________________________
    Jeff[japhy]Pinyan: Perl, regex, and perl hacker.
    s++=END;++y(;-P)}y js++=;shajsj<++y(p-q)}?print:??;

[reply]
      Actually, I started writing a program to do just that a few months ago. I don't think I ever finished it, and I think now it's gathering dust in the rather large ~/scripts playground on my laptop.

      I'll have to try to dig it up when I get home, unless you post your better, faster and more elegant solution first. :)

[reply]

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