This is one of the rave reviews of our program Crossword Weaver, the leading crossword puzzle construction software.

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ComputerCredible Review Team

Crossword Weaver by Variety Games
Automated Crossword Puzzle Construction

We had always planned on featuring a crossword puzzle in each issue of ComputerCredible. We tried several software programs and were disappointed in all of them. The biggest failing of most crossword puzzle construction software is the inability to export puzzles, clues and solutions to a desktop publishing system such as QuarkXpress or Pagemaker. The other major failing is that a great deal of manual work is required to complete the puzzle. That has all changed with Crossword Weaver. Not only does it do a great job in exporting to almost all Windows programs, but it allows a great deal of flexibility, control and automation. So much in fact, that our enthusiasm for the product was so high that we went ahead and used Crossword Weaver to create the puzzle on page 44.

To create a puzzle, all we did was select a crossword pattern (numerous patterns are available), entered some theme (networking) words, and Crossword Weaver did the rest. The only manual intervention was the editing of some of the clues. Click a button and Crossword Weaver automatically uses as many theme words as possible with the remaining words coming from its dictionary of 60,000 words; most of which already have clues. The speed at which the software constructs the puzzle is quite impressive. Whether you need a puzzle for your company newsletter, as an educational aide to teach or study vocabulary words, or simply as a means of recreation, you can't go wrong with Crossword Weaver.

Pros

• Automatically constructs puzzle
• Excellent customization options
• Large database of clues

Cons

• Cannot select a difficulty level

System Requirements

• IBM PC or compatible with a Pentium processor or higher
• 8 MB memory
• 4 MB disk space
• Any version of Microsoft Windows, including Windows 7, 8, XP, Vista, and others
• A mouse or other pointing device

Price: $39.95 plus $4.95 S&H*

*Edited to reflect current pricing and requirements