Lingo - Guide

Here is how to do everything...

Lingo - Version 1.0.1

3Z Software

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What is Lingo?

Lingo is a word game where you have to use your logical deduction capabilities. The goal of the game is to find the key word, selected at random by the computer from a word list of your choice, using a limited number of tries. After each guess, Lingo reveals hints related to your word and the key word...

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Getting started...

After launching Lingo, you must select a word list. Click on the "File" menu, then "Open Word List...". In the window that appears, select the list of your choice. Lingo selects the key words from that list. You can use one of the lists included with the application, choose a word list of your own, or download one on 3Z Software website, or any other website...

Click here to download word lists

Note that when a list is loaded, Lingo sorts its content. Some words considered not valid are ignored:

  • Words with less than 2 letters
  • Words with more than 12 letters
  • Words with accented characters
  • Words containing non-alphabetic characters, like the dash

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    What exactly is a word list?

    A word list is a simple text file (.txt) in which words are separated by a valid separator. Separators recognized by Lingo are the following:

  • Comma (,)
  • Semi-colon (;)
  • Return (line break)

    If the selected file contains at least one of these separators, the file will be assumed valid and the first match is used to separate all the words. If the file contains more than one kind of separator, you might get unexpected results...

    After the list is loaded (this process can take a few seconds), you are ready to start a new game...

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    Playing the game

    After loading a valid word list, do menu "File" -> "New Game". A window appears with a 12 x 12 grid in it. Click in the grid to set the grid to the desired dimensions. The grid's width determines the length of the key word. The grid's height determines the maximum number of tries to find the key word...

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    For this example, we will select a 5 x 5 grid. After you click OK, the grid is redimensioned (if necessary). Lingo then chooses a word at random and places the first letter of the word in the grid. If the word is more than 6-letter long, Lingo reveals another letter from the start...

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    Sample game

    For the sake of the example, we will provide beforehand the right answer, so we can track the progress of a single round of the game. In this example, the word to find is: PARTY.

    The first try is a blind guess, with only the first letter revealed. We try: POKER. We now know there's a R in the word, but since it's colored red, it means the letter is not correctly placed...

    Next, we try a word with a R placed elsewhere: PROSY. The R is still incorrectly placed, but we got the ending Y colored in blue, which means it's correctly placed...

    Now we absolutely want to place this R, so we enter: PARRY.

    Good. We now know the right location of the R, and we got a correct A at the same time. There's only one word that comes to mind using these letters: PARTY.

    Done! We found the word and we get points according to the word length and the number of tries used. Press the "Next" button (or simply hit Return) to go to the next word...

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    Everything else...

    If you have any questions, suggestions or bug report, Contact 3Z Software

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    Have Fun!

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