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Loadstar 128 21
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q21.d81
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t.mondo crypto
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2022-08-28
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M O N D O C R Y P T O
by Fender Tucker
Welcome to the wonderful world of CRYPTOS! Don't panic, this is not the
world of cryptic clues, which no one outside the earshot of Big Ben seems to
like, but the world of cryptograms, which run in just about every American
newspaper, even lowbrow rags like the Shreveport Times. If you work the
daily cryptogram (or cryptoquote) you NEED this program.
We published a cryptogram program on LS 128 #16 called DOCTOR CRYPTO but
it lacked one handy feature: you couldn't enter in a cryptogram from the
newspaper (or from a book) in crypto form, then use the power of your
computer to help you solve it. MONDO CRYPTO has this feature. Just select
the first option from the menu (ENTER A CRYPTOGRAM) and type in the code
from the newspaper. Then make guesses. The program saves you a lot of
searching and erasing. It's so easy to make guesses that you'll find the
answer much faster than if you haltingly tried entering guesses with a
pencil.
You can save the current cryptogram in progress, but only one at a time.
There are 0 blocks free on Side 2 of this issue so don't try to save
anything until you've copied MONDO CRYPTO to another disk.
But helping you solve cryptograms is just one aspect of MONDO CRYPTO.
The main features are two neverending word games which I call 4-Letter MONDO
and 5-Letter MONDO. Here's how they work.
Eight words will be chosen at a time and cryptogrammed. This means that
they will be put through a simple substitution code. Every letter will be
represented by another letter. All eight words will use the same code.
Your task is to solve the code and figure out the eight words.
There are three clues:
(1) If a letter appears only once in all eight words, that letter is
revealed.
(2) For each word, one of the letters is named. It will say "One of the
letters is B". It doesn't say which one, though; you have to figure that
out.
(3) Below the grid, all of the letters used in the eight words are listed in
horizontal, alphabetic order. If there is a "Q" below, then there are at
least two Qs in the words above. If there is no "X" below, then you can be
sure that there are no Xs in the eight words.
You move the big white cursor with the CRSR keys. When you think you
know the letter that is represented by the code letter below the cursor,
press that letter. All instances of the code letter will be topped by the
letter you typed. To erase a letter, press SPACE when the cursor is where
you want it.
You can get a letter hint by pressing F1. The true answer for the code
letter beneath the cursor is revealed. However, each hint costs you one
point, or word.
You get one point for each word you get right. Get all eight and you
get eight points for that round. Your points are displayed on the left side
of the bottom bar. Did I mention that you are timed? You are challenged to
solve as many words as you can in 10 minutes. The clock is shown on the
right side of the bottom bar and counts down from 10:00 to 0:00. The clock
is stopped between rounds so you're only timed for the actual time while
you're solving.
So you keep solving till you have all eight words correct. You get a
fanfare when done. Then, if you've still got time on the clock, you get
eight more words (with a brand new cryptogram code).
When time runs out you go to the MONDO MOJOS screen. If your score
qualifies you get to enter your name and become a MONDO MOJO! Knees Calhoon
has all of the slots right now but feel free to clear the scores by pressing
C at the MOJOS screen. Be sure to keep the disk in the drive.
There's one way you can really mess yourself up. The program will allow
you to try a letter that is NOT in the eight words. Let's say you press W
and there's no W in the horizontal list on the bottom bar. Then later, you
decide that the W is wrong and you erase the W with a SPACE (or by typing
another letter when the cursor is highlighting W). The program will place a
W in the list at the bottom. Now you've messed up the list. The list is a
very powerful clue to the answers and if you mess it up, you could be in big
trouble. You may have to use F1 (for hint) several times to recover. This
will play havoc with your score. For your own sake, don't enter a letter
unless it's in the list below.
Some people are hooked on booze; others are hooked on phonics. I'm
hooked on MONDO. I play it every night when I get home from work. Let me
know what you think; I have a feeling there are more word games to come on
LOADSTAR 128.
FT
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