Crozzwordz

CrozzWord 1.3d by Steve Weyer is a Java-based crossword and cryptic puzzle workbench for Classic Mac OS 8.1 through 9.2.2. It lets a solver display, fill in, and check puzzles drawn either from local files or from an extensive online catalogue of more than thirty thousand puzzles spread across six file formats.

Solving and customization

Players can selectively check or reveal answers, jump to incomplete or incorrect guesses, save partial games, and tweak both the application's chrome and the puzzle's appearance to suit their reading preferences.

Networked puzzle library

CrozzWord pulls puzzles from a curated set of public sites, including secure access to the New York Times crossword. Users can add their own sites to Favorites or organize them into custom categories for quick recall.

Java runtime requirement

Because the application targets the Macintosh Runtime for Java (MRJ 2.2.5 or compatible), it depends on a working Java environment under Mac OS Classic. The author notes that the New York Times path does not function under MRJ specifically.

Cross-platform contest winner

CrozzWord shipped in parallel for Zaurus and iPaq handhelds, Windows, Classic Mac, and Mac OS X. It was a 2002 winner in the JPDA Application Developers Contest sponsored by Insignia Solutions, HP, Intel, Metrowerks, Sharp, Softbank Publishing, and Sun Microsystems. Distribution is shareware with optional registration.