Installation is easy, and you can start playing right away, though you might get sidetracked for a bit by the engaging FaceMaker utility that personalizes your player interface. Once you've got your face and name set up, you can solve puzzles alone, compete with a nearby friend, or challenge a total stranger over the Internet. The competitive option is structured much like traditional tournament: time and accuracy are both important. The many MIDI music choices are unobtrusive, the three backgrounds are gorgeous but not distracting, and the solving interface is clever and simple to master.

The puzzles themselves are challenging in a straightforward way--no tricky New York Times stuff here! If a clue baffles you, it's easy (some would say too easy) to get a hint or even to have the whole word filled in for you. Then, if a word is still unfamiliar, you can open up the online Webster's New World College Dictionary provided and improve your vocabulary for next time. Though it may seem strange at first for crossword puzzles to migrate to your computer monitor, you'll soon find yourself thinking of "paper" as just a five-letter word for "obsolete." --Rob Lightner

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