Originally a comparison of WS8 with WS7, this edition of my WS comparison has been updated to include WS9. It also includes a column for Bible Explorer 4, the current version of the free “little brother” to WORDsearch, as well as a column comparing the functionality of the old STEP-based WORDsearch 5.
My intent is to provide users and potential users an easy way to compare version functionality, both to support upgrade purchase decisions, and for the more academic aim of tracking the evolution of the program under the current technical leadership at WORDsearch, including the identification of functionality that still remains lost after the transition of WORDsearch to the Bible Explorer code base. The point is to compare these versions to each other, not necessarily to identify everything they can do, so as to use for comparison to other programs.
This is the third published edition of this comparison chart, updated as of Dec 20th, 2009. This comparison was based on the following builds: [Note: updated to version 3.2 on July 9th 2011 to incorporate build 9.0.2.115]
-
WORDsearch 5.K
-
Bible Explorer 4.1.3.5
-
WORDsearch 7.1.2.9
-
WORDsearch 8.0.2.71
-
WORDsearch 9.0.2.115
ΑΩ
|
1. Core Functions – Bible Search |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Search Bible by Refs (a) |
Yes |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Ability to limit search to Bible text only (b) |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Weak |
|
Search in non-contiguous books |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Customize default Bible search ranges (c) |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
AND terms in searches |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
OR terms in searches |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
NOT terms in searches (d) |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Combine AND and OR in searches (e) |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Group search terms in parentheses |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search for words NEAR each other |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search simultaneously in multiple Bibles |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search user-defined Collections |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search by word in all grouped translations (Parallel Bible) |
No |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Option to find related word forms in English |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Word lists / spelling helper |
Weak |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Easy access to favorites for selecting search targets |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Remember recent searches |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search for multiple Strong’s numbers (f) |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Yes |
|
Greek/Hebrew keyboard available on Search dialog |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
(a) Refs can be retrieved directly into Verse List in WS7/WS8/WS9, but the search engine will not return verses based on reference arguments, nor can Bible windows be filtered to show/hide specific verses/ranges (b) Theoretically possible in the CROSS-based programs, but their search engines do not effectively distinguish between Biblical text and all the various embedded texts, such as marginal notes/embedded commentary, etc. Later releases of WS9 have made improvements here, but front matter is still treated as undifferentiated searchable text. (c) Bible search range defaults for BE4, WS7, WS8, WS9 can be customized by manually editing an application xml file, but this functionality is not available via the program interface (d) Contrary to what I sometimes hear people say, WS5 did not support NOT logic in searches, but only in subsequent results combination operations, either directly or via a new search (e) Complex Boolean arguments could be accomplished in WS5 via searching against results or combining results sets (f) WS5 required combining results sets to accomplish this; the CROSS-based programs prior to WS9 could only accomplish this if you constructed a query in a text editor using the angle brackets around Strong’s numbers, and paste it into the query box on the normal search tab (not the Strong’s search tab, which only allows you to search for one number). WS9 allows entry of the <> brackets directly into the query box. |
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|
2. Core Functions – |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Display search results in functional Bible window (g) |
Yes |
No |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Refine Bible search results with additional AND query |
Yes |
No |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Refine Bible search results with additional NOT query |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Expand Bible search results with additional OR query |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Manually add & delete verses in search results |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
View search results as verses |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
View search results in context (g) |
Yes |
No |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
|
View search results as references |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Work with multiple sets of search results |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
OR multiple Bible search results sets |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
AND multiple Bible search results sets |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
NOT multiple Bible search results sets |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Copy verses from one results set to another |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Save Bible search results (h) |
Yes |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Prev/Next buttons in Parallel Bible scroll to next Hit in Context mode |
No |
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Number results |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
(g) WS8 & WS9 can only do this in the Parallel Bible window, which has very limited search capabilities (h) WS7/WS8/WS9 can export Bible search results to a Verse List, and then save the Verse List – cannot directly save search results |
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|
3. Core Functions – |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Compare multiple translations simultaneously |
VG |
Yes |
VG |
VG |
VG |
|
Parallel Bible window (i) |
VG |
No |
Yes |
VG |
VG |
|
Parallel Bible grid view |
Yes |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Parallel Bible row view |
No |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Parallel Bible column view (j) |
Yes |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Order translations in PB windows |
Weak |
N/A |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
|
View as only verses resulting from query (Parallel Bible) |
Yes |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
View as query result verses in context (Parallel Bible) |
Yes |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
View as only refs resulting from query (Parallel Bible) |
Yes |
N/A |
No |
No |
No |
|
View text from multiple chapters in a single window |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Customize Interlinear display (show/hide elements) |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Show/hide xref panel on Bible window (k) |
No |
Weak |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Show footnotes and xrefs in-line (l) |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Show footnotes and xrefs in secondary window (l) |
Yes |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Composite Translation Notes window |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Show Strong’s numbers in tagged Bibles |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Biblical xrefs can be viewed in Biblical context |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Show an icon in Bible windows indicating (and linking to) a user note for a verse |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Markup Biblical text with highlighters |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Toggle paragraph vs. verse-by-verse |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Toggle red words |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
(i) The native display of WS5 Bible windows was parallel Ref Lists (j) Column view was upgraded to grid view in WS8, but you can accomplish a column view in WS8/WS9 (or WS5) via window sizing, using grid view (k) BE4 does not allow filtering of resources in the xref panel, which leads to poor performance with large libraries of books or documents (l) Footnotes and xrefs are inconsistently implemented in CROSS Bibles – sometimes embedded in-line, sometimes in separate books, sometimes both or a combination of both |
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◊
|
4. Core Functions – |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Retain poetic formatting on copy/paste (m) |
Yes |
Yes |
Weak |
No |
No |
|
Bible Copy options (basic copy vs. copy passage) |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Copy Passage formatting options |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Prompt user to select translation(s) for Copy from PB |
Weak |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Include citation in Bible copy |
Yes |
Yes |
VG |
VG |
VG |
|
Copy without including citation (Bible) |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Copy to WP (one-step) |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
(m) WS7/WS8/WS9 Copy Passage loses formatting; WS7 (basic) Copy has no citation |
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|
5. User Content – Bible Annotations |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Attach annotations to Bible verse (n) |
Yes |
Weak |
Weak |
VG |
VG |
|
Attach annotations to range of Bible verses |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
User-created stand-alone personal Bible Notebooks |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Create multiple Bible Notes notebooks |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Export selected data from Bible Notes to WP |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search annotations by ref |
No |
No |
No |
No* |
Yes |
|
Search annotations by word |
Yes |
No* |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Search function within annotations Notebooks |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Prev/Next buttons in the notebook to scroll through existing notes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Notebooks have navigator control to browse and select any existing note |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
* Advertised, but broken (n) Bible Explorer and WS7 have a verse annotation mechanism, but it is poorly implemented, making it easy to accidentally overwrite or delete annotations, as well as limiting annotation availability to the specific desktop it was created under |
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|
6. User Content – |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
User-created documents |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
User-created Topical “books” |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
User-created Outline “books” |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Publish documents in Community Library |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search user data by Words |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search user data by Refs (o) |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Search user data by Topics |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
(o) Bible references can be searched within user documents by either xref panels (WS7/BE4) or Xref Explorer (WS8/WS9), but no scope granularity is possible – you can search all docs, or search no docs. |
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|
7. User Content – Scripture Sets |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Verse Lists (p) |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Save/Retrieve Verse Lists |
Weak |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Perform functions on Verse Lists e.g. word study |
Yes |
N/A |
No |
No |
No |
|
Organize verses within Verse List |
No |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Attach annotations to ad-hoc collection of verses |
Weak |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Verse Lists support paragraph mode text for ranges |
Yes |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Use verse lists in other sessions/desktops |
No |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
(p) The native WS5 Bible window (called a Ref List) included basic Verse List functionality |
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|
8. Resource Integration – Internal |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Strong’s # hyperlinks generate pop-up window with Strong’s Dictionary entry |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Choose dictionary to link to for Strong’s # hyperlinks |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
User Document Integration |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Create hyperlinks to specific passages |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
No |
Yes |
|
Customizable location of user content (q) |
No |
No |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Built-in Word Processor |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Scripture references automatically hyperlinked in docs |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Scripture hyperlinks generate pop-up window of Bible passage within program |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Drag & Drop editing in Text Editor windows |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Spell checker |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Send selected verses to a Verse List (from Search Results) |
Yes |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Send selected verses to a Verse List (Bible window) |
Yes |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Send selected verses to a Verse List (Parallel Bible) |
Yes |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Send all refs in a section of book text to a Verse List |
No |
N/A |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
XRef search results window features built-in preview pane |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
XRef search term highlighted in Xref search results preview pane |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
|
XRef search results preview pane auto-scrolls to first hit |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
|
Xref search results pane consolidates multi-hit results |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
|
XRef results shows full verses of all xrefs identified in TSK and similar resources |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
View xrefs as list of refs |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Topical search results includes built-in previewing pane |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Integrate personal Bible Notes with xref results window to create inverse xref system |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Verse Study wizard (r) |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Use Collections to scope Verse Study wizard |
No |
N/A |
N/A |
No |
Yes |
|
Assign labels to highlighter colors |
N/A |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Bible Reading Planner |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Bibliographer |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
(q) Location for Documents & Verse Lists is customizable in WS8 & WS9, but if your installation is in “LUA-compliant mode” (meaning most new installs), setting a custom location in WS8 will break the ability of WS7 & BE4 to use docs and/or VLs. The location is not customizable for annotations in any version. (r) Instant Verse Study in WS8; “Copy to WP” option in WS5 was essentially the same, but only supported one Bible translation per copy. |
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|
9. Resource Integration – External |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
User content created in program is available to external apps |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Reads HTML documents |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Reads Web pages |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Reads PDF documents |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Integrates MP3s |
No |
No |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Internet Resource Integration |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Internet Web browser integration with Topical Search |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Topical searching supports including predefined Internet sites |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Word Lookup queries Internet dictionaries for definitions |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
ZipScript |
Yes |
No |
VG |
VG |
VG |
◊
|
10. Resource Integration - |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Select non-Bible books to search within |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Show history of recent books |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Select individual books for Topical search |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Search books by Refs (s) |
Yes |
Weak |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
|
TOC text filter to aid in finding subject matter |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Topic search finds search term anywhere in Topic heading |
Weak |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Attach annotations to non-Bible book passages (t) |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Include citation in non-Bible copy |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Copy without including citation (non-Bible) |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Turabian-style citations |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Show browsing history for non-Bible books |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Highlight passages in books (t) |
No |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
(s) Can be accomplished using the Xref pane for BE4/WS7; using Xref Explorer for WS8/WS9 (t) Annotations in non-Bibles (and highlighting in all books) is stored as part of the specific Desktop it was created under. |
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|
11. Usability and Presentation – |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Clicking hyperlink brings target window to the front (u) |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Sync multiple windows to Biblical context (linking) |
Yes |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Yes |
|
Multiple sync groups |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Choose between Peer and Master/Slave modes for Sync groups |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Dedicated target window for xrefs |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
User-definable xref target window |
No |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Drive sync context from non-Bible (e.g. commentary) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Auto-link Option (On/Off) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Change the focus of a synced secondary/tertiary resource without changing the focus of your Bible window |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Follow cross references without changing focus of Bible window |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Window Docking (v) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Auto-docking option |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Customize window organization |
Weak |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Customize caption of open windows |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Quick-swap translations in a window (also swap between similar resources for other book types) |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Define group of favorites for quick-swapping of synced content (Carousels) |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Go Back button |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Go Forward button |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Save/Retrieve Desktop content (context) |
Yes |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Save/Retrieve Desktop/window layout |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Save/Restore window layout independently of context |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Use “Collections” to save named sets of user-defined resources |
No |
No |
No |
Weak |
Yes |
|
(u) To be fair, I think this works consistently in BE4 & WS7 if window auto-arrange is enabled, but it doesn’t work if you set your own window layout – much improved in later WS versions (v) Docking is not supported for all window types in WS8 or WS9 – everything dockable in WS7 is dockable in later versions, but window types introduced in WS8 are not dockable, nor are Verse Lists or documents |
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◊
|
12. Usability and Presentation – |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Customize Library Presentation |
Weak |
No |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Customize Resource Panel layout |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Hide unwanted books |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Library sort order options |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Change a book’s category |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Create custom book categories |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Find-as-you-type dialog to open any resource |
Weak |
No |
No |
VG |
VG |
|
Resource Panel Filter |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Mouse-activated fly-out Resource Panel |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Favorites |
No |
No |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Set bookmarks |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Allow customized order of Bible translations in menus for more efficient selecting (e.g most-used at top) |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
XRef search scope managed with user-defined Collections |
No |
No |
No |
Weak |
Yes |
|
Backup/Restore data & licenses |
Weak |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
◊
|
13. Technical Foundation |
WS5 |
BE4 |
WS7 |
WS8 |
WS9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Video tutorials |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Free on-line training |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Help Files |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
Weak |
|
Proprietary Resource Format |
STEP |
CROSS |
CROSS |
CROSS |
CROSS |
|
Text Export (Copy/Paste) Format |
RTF |
HTML |
HTML |
HTML |
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[...] WORDsearch Versions Functional Comparison [...]
[...] to be an in-depth review of WORDsearch 8. As part of this ongoing project, he has published a very interesting chart comparing the features of WORDsearch 5.K (2000), WORDsearch 7.1.1.59 (2007), WORDsearch 8.0.2.40 [...]
This is awesome, John, thanks. I know what a huge undertaking this must have been. God bless.
Reply to Jerry[...] WORDsearch Version Functional Comparison [...]
wow, you did an great job of capturing the essence of these programs. I too have used WORDSEARCH from its DOS days. I love WORDSEARCH 5 and hated the upgrade to 7. 8 is growing on me, but still I wish they could combine the best of both, not to mention there are several STEP books I cannot get on 8 that I have on 5. So, I use both, but the majority of my time is in 5. I especially like the multiple search capability of 5 that one cannot do in 8. Perhaps 9 will give us what we want.
chuck hochmuth
Reply to Chuck HochmuthHi Chuck, I appreciate the comment. It’s hard to understand why WORDsearch hasn’t incorporated multiple search capability into the newer versions. I know that leaders in the company have expressed a desire to recover the best of classic WORDsearch, but they’re built from such completely different mindsets, I don’t know. We should know pretty soon what the version 9 release is going to look like…
Reply to John W GillisJohn
[...] WORDsearch Version Functional Comparison [...]