Sordid tales from the Wordsmith Shelter

Someone smuggled in an iPhone and we're all having a relapse! We're fighting over who can play the game! And we've got the counselor tied up!

I've got the iPhone now and I'm wasting my playing time by contacting you this way. But I had to get the word out:

Major relapse at the Wordsmith Shelter! Someone tell someone!

Wordsmith and I are breaking up

I guess it was always going to end this way. We just can't co-exist. How can I have a relationship with an entity that thinks Lotto and SOS are words? I can't, that's how.

So that's it. Wordsmith and I are no longer an item. I know some of you will be shocked because you expected us to stay together for a long time. But you know what? Your expectations aren't my concern right now. I have to think of myself.

I'll be staying at a local Wordsmith Shelter for the next few days. If they have internet access, I'll try to get a post out (grief permitting).

Day games of the semi-literati

Count me in.

I took the day off and played Wordsmith all day. I played against myself in The Grand Champeenship -- and I'm pleased to report that I am beating myself by over 100,000 points!!!! (Cheers and roars.) This is unprecedented! I am a god.

Seriously, I have fallen into the hole that is this game and I can't climb out -- not that I want to. It's fun. Mind you, I'm not thrilled with the way the game was assembled. They accept any old word -- no matter if it's a, you know, word.

Any ditzy word that people use today in conversation, no matter how slang, is in there. It's accepted and so are curse words. And there are inconsistencies, like Jew is accepted while Zion is not. (You don't think this could be a statement, do you?) And it doesn't know some real words. That really irks me. There should be an override button for literate players. "Accept this player's words unconditionally." And we'll play on scout's honor. We promise! Scout's honor!

I could limit myself to real words, and I might somewhere down the road. But the thing spits out letters at you in a mindless fashion and sometimes for two whole turns, there isn't one damn word you can make -- except a fake word. So you put it in. Okay, so I put it in. Plus it's fun to put in stupid words just to see if it accepts them. It usually does. This sometimes sidelines my game because I can't resist pumping them in.

Anyway, that's what I did with my day. And what's wrong with this picture? I'll tell you what's wrong with this picture: there was no football game! I mean, are these people unfamiliar with my schedule? I could have used a superbowl today. But no-o. They have to hold it next week. And the Giants are my home-town team! You'd think they'd contact me first, to work things out. It's insufferably rude.

So, what did you do with your Sunday?

My latest obsession

Wordsmith.

I bought an iPhone app last week and I love it. It's called Wordsmith. That's a screenshot at left.

It tosses seven letters at you and you try to make the largest word you can. Then it replaces the letters you used and you create the next word. It's got a timer and levels and it's great fun.

Gimme word games every time. I'd still like to find a good word jumble game. There don't seem to be any out there, though some use the name. I guess no one knows words anymore so there's no market for it. Speaking of which, I wonder how this one sells. Maybe I'm the only one who bought it.

If you get it, go for the 99-cent version. With the free version you'll see ads. Believe me, you won't want to be distracted.

PS: My only problem is that my mind also sees French words, Spanish words, Italian words and Latin words in the letters. I keep looking for the button on my brain that says "English Only" but I haven't found it yet. I think this slows me down. My highest score so far is 56,000. Any other players out there?