NOTE: It is suggested that you use your favorite word processor to format and print this document so that you can read it with the game program up and running.

Formal rules for WORD FOR WORD (TM): 

	1. In response to a query from the computer, two or more players agree on a 3-, 4-, or 5-letter game.  In response to another query from the computer, the players enter their names into the computer.  The computer randomly assigns an order of play.  Players choose whether they wish to have a time limit for moves, or allow the time for moves to be taken at each player's discretion.  If the players choose to have time-limited moves, they are prompted to select the time limits for the initial puzzle study period (see below) and for each move.

	2. From a list (the "lexicon") of all acceptable words of the specified number of letters, the computer selects at random one word for each player and an additional common word for all.  Acceptable words are all words that are not abbreviations, proper nouns, hyphenations, contractions or foreign words not absorbed into English.  Before displaying the puzzles, the computer verifies that solutions exist for the selected puzzles.  When selection of puzzles is complete, the computer displays the game board.

	3.  The game begins with an initial puzzle study period in which players attempt to devise solutions to their own and to their opponents' puzzles before turns begin.  No moves are made during the initial period.  (If players have chosen to have time-limited moves, the time remaining in the initial period is displayed on the game board.)  

	4.  When the initial period is over (by mutual agreement or by expiration of the time limit), players begin taking turns.  At each turn a player must "save" a word, "delete" a word, "win", "save-to-win", "delete-to-draw", or "resign".  Players indicate moves to the computer by the use of an appropriate command letter.  The game board shows the command letter for each kind of move by the use of upper case: S for Save, D for Delete, W for Win, A for sAve-and-win, E for dElete-to-draw, R for Resign.  Players may type command letters in either upper or lower case.  
	The player whose turn it is to move is referred to as the "acting player".

	5.  If the acting player elects to delete a word, the computer will prompt him to enter the word that he proposes for deletion.  The computer will then determine in the following manner if the deletion will be allowed to become effective.   
	The computer first tentatively removes the deleted word from the lexicon.  Next, the computer determines whether a solution exists for the puzzle of each player, including the acting player.under the now-reduced lexicon (that is, reduced by the removal of the deleted word).  Any player, including the acting player, for whom a solution no longer exists under the reduced lexicon is identified by the computer and will be eliminated from the game if the proposed deletion is allowed to become effective.  Whether a proposed deletion is allowed to become effective depends on its potential consequences.  
	If only one player would remain in the game after a proposed deletion becomes effective, the deletion becomes effective and that player is the winner. If two or more players would remain in the game after a proposed deletion, the deletion becomes effective and play continues.  If the computer finds that the deletion proposed by the acting player, if it became effective, would cause all players to be eliminated, the computer disallows that deletion,  restores the word to the lexicon, and informs the acting player that he forfeits his turn.
	When a proposed deletion becomes effective the deleted word is posted on the game board beneath the name of the player who proposed it.
	If the acting player proposes for deletion a word which is not in the lexicon at the time of his turn (this covers unacceptable words and misspellings as well as words previously deleted), or if the acting player proposes for deletion a word that has already been saved (see next rule), the computer informs him that he forfeits that turn.

	6. If the acting player elects to save a word, and the proposed save becomes effective, then that word is protected from deletion for the rest of the game.  After a word is saved it is posted on the updated game board beneath the name of the player who saved it.  (All puzzle words are considered as automatically saved words from the beginning of the game.)
	If the acting player proposes a word to be saved which is not in the lexicon at the time of his turn (i.e. a word that is unacceptable, is misspelled, or has already been deleted), or a word which has already been saved, then the computer informs him that his turn is forfeited, and the proposed save does not become effective.

	7.  An acting player may elect to "win".  This move is a declaration by the acting player that he is able to construct a solution to his puzzle entirely from words that have been saved.  (Note that a save or a deletion, although performed by one player, is applicable to all players when it becomes effective.)  If the acting player's claim of a solution from among the saved words is determined by the computer to be correct, then he is indeed the winner.  If the acting player's claim is incorrect, then he is eliminated.  If, as a result of an incorrect "win", only one other player remains in the game after the elimination of the acting player, then the sole remaining player is the winner.

	8.  An acting player may elect to "save-to-win".  A save-to-win is a declaration by the acting player that by saving one more word, the acting player will be able to construct a solution to his puzzle entirely from saved words.  If the acting player elects to "save-to-win", the acting player is prompted to enter the word which is to be saved.
	The computer scrutinizes the proposed save for validity as it would with a simple save.  If the proposed save is invalid, the computer informs the acting player that he forfeits his turn and the "win" aspect of the save-to-win is moot.  If the proposed save is valid, it becomes immediately effective.  The computer will then verify the acting player's claim that a solution to his puzzle can be constructed entirely from saved words, just as it would do for a simple "win" move.  
	If the acting player's "win" claim is found by the computer to be correct, then the acting player is the winner.  If the acting player's "win" claim is found by the computer to be incorrect, then the acting player is eliminated.  Even if the acting player is eliminated on a failed save-to-win, if two or more players remain in the game after the elimination of the acting player, the word saved by the acting player as part of the save-to-win remains effective as a save and the game continues.

	9.  In a game that contains only two players (whether it began as a two-player game or was reduced to a two-player game by the elimination of some players), the acting player may elect to "delete-to-draw".  The delete-to-draw is a declaration by the acting player that he believes that the deletion of one single word would eliminate both remaining players.  As noted above, a deletion of this kind is not permitted under the normal "delete" option.  
	When the acting player issues the command letter for "delete-to-draw", the computer prompts the acting player for the word proposed for deletion-to-draw.  The computer checks the proposed deletion-to-draw word for validity (i.e. is it an acceptable word that has not been previously saved or deleted?).  If the word proposed for deletion-to-draw is invalid, then the acting player forfeits his turn.
	If the word proposed for deletion-to-draw is determined by the computer to be a valid deletion, then the computer determines whether the proposed deletion would in fact cut off all possible solutions for both players.  If it would, then the deletion becomes effective and the game is drawn.  If the computer finds that the proposed deletion would not cut both remaining players off from any possible solution to their puzzles, then the acting player is eliminated and the other player is the winner.  
	Note that if the word proposed as a deletion-to-draw is valid as a potential deletion, then the delete-to-draw is the last move of the game, since, if successful, it results in a draw, and if unsuccessful, it results in the elimination of the acting player.

	10.  On each turn requiring a word to be entered, the computer will prompt for verification after a word is entered.  If the acting player confirms an incorrect spelling for a saved or deleted word, it has the same effect as that of a word which is absent from the lexicon at the time of the player's turn, namely, forfeiture of the turn.