Technical snag

Some beta testers found certain movements o' the game to be too slow on certain operating systems. Jerry's working on it.

Cheer up, gang...this is why God invented beta testing :-)

Google hath spoken

Constructor Clive submitted a pack o' puzzles in a business-related category. One is called "It's Fun to Work At Google." I've gotta admit, I was skeptical o' some entries, not being able to fact-check them authoritatively, despite Clive's links. So I wrote to the company, and faith and begorra, they checked in with me yesterday.

All theme entries and clues are accurate.

So, Clive, good for you! You were right. I was...cautious.

Kelly <-----noting that wordXross and Google are not related in any way

Constructors' pay day -- how sweet it is!

Well, I learned from Julie that all checks on approved and edited puzzles went out today. This company has got to be setting records in speedy compensation!

Read Me File

Great idea Kelly.....now you and I get to write it!!!

The Website...

Well Raider and I continue to work on the site and get it fine tuned for our soon to be "beta testing" - the more I work at it, the more I want to do with it - I am getting sucked into a never-ending process of trying to make it the perfect place.....I must focus!

The Constructors Are Coming!

Wow.....the last couple of days have been very busy for Kelly - the constructors are really turning out! I'm very excited to see we have some first timers as well as some very seasoned pro's in our midst........keep up the good work!

Another advantage to a "read-me"...

...is that it would give the downloaders all the info on how to buy more puzzles...like, the website?

"Read Me" enclosure?

I'm wondering if Jerry plans to include a "read-me" file with the game. Not that I think it needs it -- the game seems pretty intuitive to me -- but it occurred to me that it might be nice to include something about the free puzzlers (and constructors) included with the download.

Kelly <---wondering how to get rid o' the "rating" bleep that installing Halo Scan resulted in ;-)

Halo scan installed

Big deal, you say? Well, maybe not, but I prefer it over the regular blogger comment format...not that there's a need for it right now. :-)

Web site sneak preview!

Last Monday we got a sneak preview o' the web site -- cool! 'Course, everybody had comments...hang in there, Jerry o' mine!

Themeless dilemma solved!

Brilliant idea on categorizing themeless puzzles. We're going to call them "Themeless, Summer 2009," "Themeless, Fall 2009" etc. Whew!

In other category news, while struggling to build a "category tree" for Nancy's "food" puzzles (a great pack) I came up with the head category: "Basic Human Needs."

Jerry kindly informed me that "food" is a category unto itself.

Ah well...sometimes the simplest answer is usually the correct one.

Jerry in a bottleneck?

After sending just a few puzzles to Jerry today, he tells me he's in a bottleneck. Sounds good to me! :-)

Work on the website....

I spent some time working on the site today and feel like we are making some progress. The copy is coming along and we are getting closer each day.

Ahhhhhh....we are getting there!

Takin' a blog break

I sound like a broken record, but things are moving fast and furious...and the puzzles keep coming in, which is gratifying. Promotional copy needs to be written for the website, which is fun. The one thing I really don't want to happen is to leave any constructor feeling like he or she is communicating with a non-communicator. So if a day or so goes by without my, at least, acknowledging acceptance o' your query and/or submissions, by all means chastise me. You can shame me publicly here, or via email -- although in your shoes I'd go the public route. (I can't believe I'm saying this!)

Thanks!

Agreeing with the "shout out"...

...but please be proud o' what you send us. Thanks!

A "Shout Out" to the Constructors!

Just wanted to give a shout out to all of the constructors who have contributed to the site...without you we would not be able to get this project launched!

So thank you all and KEEP 'EM COMIN!

Categories, Categories!

Every product in this venture -- meaning every puzzle or puzzle pack -- needs to be "categorized." It's hard, but interesting.

One challenge: how to categorize themeless puzzles?

Things are moving fast

While waiting for the beta test results, Jerry -- 'scuse me, "Raider," sheesh -- is getting ready to upload the site. So much going on!

A fun thing -- I get to be a copywriter on this project. Well, gee, that's what I do!

In other news, Harvey teased me with a clue tonight: [Front end o' China]

Anybody know the 4-letter answer?

Get back!

Last night, Paul McCartney performed at Boston's Fenway Park, and I heard the whole thing from my parlor. 'Course, all I could think of was Pancho's Beatles puzzles.

I'm glad you're not nervous about the beta test, Julie...I get to see the results, right?

Changed My Name....

Okay, five minutes as RetailGirl and I had to change my name....I am now officially wordXrossgirl - definitely suits me.

Challenge Your Brain....

Have I mentioned I love it when folks ask about the sign on my car for wordXross and say "I want to challenge my brain".....what a great tag line....are you ready to challenge YOUR brain?

My First Official Blog...

We are getting so close now I am really getting excited. Beta testing starts this week and we will see how folks react to the game...one would think I should be nervous but I am anxious to get real feedback...

Kelly and Vickie - you two have been great and working hard to get us some real quality puzzles - thank you both...and keep 'em coming!

Going live soon...

The web site and game will be going live soon. No specific date yet, but it will be within a couple of weeks. Kelly and Vickie have both done a wonderful job at creating, editing and providing really fun and educational puzzles to wordXross. The Beta release of the game is completed, but Julie and I have to finish up the web site. We need to upload all of the puzzles Kelly and Vickie have sent us.

Raider

"Jerry Donaldson"

Hey, this isn't really *my* blog...

Since Jerry Donaldson created the game, and his daughter Julie is the CEO o' the company, and Vicky handles the educational side, it's a group blog. (Maybe I should take down my picture!) Anyway, Blogger tells me they've sent invitations to them to be blog authors. Hope they take me up on it!

Well, Alden's bemused...

Since I started this gig, my partner Alden (of Alden & Clark) is learning to stifle his exasperated sighs when he sees me doing crossword puzzles during work hours. ;-)

So anyway, now I'm an editor, sheesh!

For heaven's sake, I make crossword puzzles...not edit them! But there you are...Jerry and Julie chose me to acquire and edit puzzles for their cool new game—wordXross—and I'm in it too deep to back out now.

And why should I...I'm having a ball!