Crosswords menus

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This page describes Crosswords' menus. On PalmOS and PocketPC version 4.1 there are three: File, Game and Move. Beginning with version 4.2, Crosswords for Windows Mobile (PocketPC and Smartphone) has this menu structure

File menu

Full screen
Toggles between full-screen mode and normal mode in which the title bar with network status etc. is present.
New game
This menuitem starts a new game. It first prompts you for a name for your current game if it doesn't already have one, then brings up the new game dialog.
Saved games...
This menuitem brings up a dialog allowing you to choose a game you've previously saved. It will first prompt you for a name for the current game if you haven't already chosen one.
Preferences
This menuitem brings up the preferences dialog.
About
This menuitem brings up a dialog with information about Crosswords.
Exit
This menuitem quits Crosswords.

Game menu

Tile values/Tile counts and values
This menuitem brings up a dialog listing all of the tiles in the current game dictionary, together with how many of each there are and how much each is worth. The contents of this dialog does not change as the game progresses.
Tiles left
This menuitem lists the tiles not yet played, printing one letter per tile in the style of the tracking sheets used in some Scrabble™ tournaments: A.A.A.A.A when there are five A tiles left, etc.
Game info
This menuitem brings up a version of the new game dialog that has some items disabled. Thus it's mostly to remind you of the game's settings.
History
This menuitem brings up a dialog with move-by-move history of the current game. If the game is over the final scores will be printed at the end.
Final scores
Use this menuitem to show the final scores of a game that's ended, and to end a game in progress. In the latter case, you'll be asked to confirm that you want to end the game.
Tile counts and values
This menuitem shows all the tiles in the pool: how many there were to start, how many are left in play, and how much each is worth.
Resend messages (Palm only -- so far)
Use this menuitem during a two-device game via IR when you believe that the other device didn't receive something. It does nothing when all players are on a single device.

Move menu

Hint
This menuitem uses the robot engine to find the highest scoring move possible using all tiles in the tray to the right of the separator. Note that the highest scoring move is often not the best move!
Limited hint
Use this menuitem to tell the robot engine how many tiles to use generating hints. You can ask for words using from 3-4 tiles, for example.
Next hint
This menuitem uses the robot engine to find the next-highest scoring move after the one most recently found.
The hint button does the same thing.
Show values
Toggles between showing letters on the board where tiles have been placed and showing their point values. This is needed because the board, unlike the tray. is too small to show both at the same time.
Undo current
This menuitem returns all tiles placed on the board during this turn to the tray. You can do the same thing by tapping an empty spot in the tray.
Undo last
This menuitem undoes the effect of the last committed turn or turns, returning newly chosen tiles to the pool and moving tiles from the board back into the tray. If there are robot players in the game more than one move may be undone -- since there's little point in undoing a robot's move only to have it make the same move again.
Please note that once tiles have been returned to the pool different tiles will probably be assigned after the turn is completed. Crosswords does not (yet) have a "redo" feature, which is what you'd need if you wanted to see the same move made after choosing Undo.
Turn done
Choose this menuitem when you have finished placing your tiles on the board and are ready to end your turn. You will see your score together with an explanation of how it was computed, and will be able to cancel and continue your turn if you change your mind. Note that tapping the current move points counter accomplishes the same thing.
You will also use this menuitem to end your turn when trading tiles.
Juggle
Use this menuitem item to randomly re-arrange tiles in your tray. It does the same thing as the Juggle button.
Flip
The flip menuitem flips the board along a line running from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner, making vertical words horizontal and vice-versa. Some folks find that this helps locate moves more quickly.
Trade
This menuitem lets you use your turn to trade tiles rather than trying to form a word with a lousy set of tiles. When trading, you'll see a small window on the board, and tapping tiles in the tray selects and de-selects them. This is the only time there can be more than one selected tile at a time. When you have selected all of the tiles you want to exchange, choose the turn done menuitem.
(un)Hide tray
This menuitem toggles the tray between face-up and face-down. If there's a password for the current player Crosswords will ask for it now. Note that you can just tap on a face-down tray to do the same thing. Robot players' trays can not be unhidden until the game is over.