Word Check iPhone App

A version of the Word Checker App is now available for the iPhone and iPod Touch (Now called "Word Check". Grab it from the iTunes App Store and never have to carry a dictionary for Scrabble, Boggle, crosswords or any other kind of word game.

24-Dec-08 - I can now give out free promo copies of the application. Just email me your email address and I'll send you a code for a free copy. Just promise to leave an honest review (hopefully nice) in the iTunes store - Keilly

08-Oct-08 - A new version of the The Word Checker App has just been released. It sports the following new features:
- Anagram/Bingo Finder
- Crossword Helper
- New everyday English dictionaries.
- Huge Speed Increase.

A whopping 99c from the iTunes App store, or free upgrades for existing users. Search for "Word Check" in the iTunes Store.

  

Create other word lists for the Word Finder widget

These are instructions on how to use other languages or dictionaries with my Word Finder widget.

Requirements: Your word list in a file, one word per line, saved to the desktop.

Part A - Format your list...
- Download this file to the Desktop.
- Open Applications/Terminal
- 'cd Desktop'
- 'perl convert.pl yourWordListName'

You should see the wheels turning and 14 word lists will be produced, one for each word length.

Part B - Replace my word lists with yours...
- Download my widget to the Desktop
- Right click and select 'Show package contents'
- Open the 'Bingo' folder to see my lists.
- Drag those to the Trash and drag in yours from the Desktop
- Double click on the widget file and it should load into Dashboard ready to go with your word list.

(Your widget now lives in 'Your Home/Application Support/Widgets')

If you make a Widget with other useful lists or languages then mail me and I'll host it here.

Create other word lists for the Word Finder widget

These are instructions on how to use other languages or dictionaries with my Word Finder widget.

Requirements: Your word list in a file, one word per line, saved to the desktop.

Part A - Format your list...
- Download this file to the Desktop.
- Open Applications/Terminal
- 'cd Desktop'
- 'perl convert.pl yourWordListName'

You should see the wheels turning and 14 word lists will be produced, one for each word length.

Part B - Replace my word lists with yours...
- Download my widget to the Desktop
- Right click and select 'Show package contents'
- Open the 'Bingo' folder to see my lists.
- Drag those to the Trash and drag in yours from the Desktop
- Double click on the widget file and it should load into Dashboard ready to go with your word list.

(Your widget now lives in 'Your Home/Application Support/Widgets')

If you have a Widget with other lists then let me know and I can host it here.

Let me know if there are any problems.

Scrabble Dictionary Widget

Travel Scrabble is a great game when on holiday, but carrying the dictionary is a pain. So I cooked up a scrabble dictionary widget while on a cross country flight (you do take your laptop on holiday right?)

It's the simplest thing ever, just type in the word and press enter and you'll see a red or green indicator.

It uses the freely available word lists for SOWPODS or TWL. SOWPODS is the valid British English and American English word lists combined; TWL is the North American word list for 2006; you can choose on the widget back which, or both, to use.

Depending on where you live Scrabble is the trademark of Hasbro or Mattel. Using the Scrabble name for anything is a legal minefield. So I decided to call the widget the incredibly dull "SOWPODS/TWL Word Checker"

Download Word Checker Widget
OS X 10.5 Compatible (10.4 tested version here)

Thanks to Andy Isaacson for tweaking the text clearing behaviour.