idea: wikipedia crossword / google cryptic
you have a daily crossword where you're meant to finish it quickly by using search engines to figure out the results. it's still quite challenging though because the questions will have a level of crypticism that requires you to problem solve in order to know what to search for. Also, cryptic links could be incorporated that direct where your browser goes. For instance one could follow a direction that is a string of words where the firstword signals a search and the subsequent words signal buried links within the site.
Because the iPhone has built in google search (and hopefully wikipedia will be optimized for it with a widget) it would represent a fairly competent mass medium for this sort of crossword. in addition the touch interface would make input easy: you tap the space you want to put and you select a letter. This feature would not work as well on the internet in which answers would need to be answered using both a mouse and keyboard and the interface would not be handheld or portable (so that you can use it during commuting).
One function that could be activated is a dictionary function that won't tell you if you have the right answer or not, but will alert you if something you have put is not a word in the English (or whatever language you're playing in) dictionary.
Any programmers out there who could assess the practicality of this idea (in terms of how long it would take to program with a small team)?
you have a daily crossword where you're meant to finish it quickly by using search engines to figure out the results. it's still quite challenging though because the questions will have a level of crypticism that requires you to problem solve in order to know what to search for. Also, cryptic links could be incorporated that direct where your browser goes. For instance one could follow a direction that is a string of words where the firstword signals a search and the subsequent words signal buried links within the site.
Because the iPhone has built in google search (and hopefully wikipedia will be optimized for it with a widget) it would represent a fairly competent mass medium for this sort of crossword. in addition the touch interface would make input easy: you tap the space you want to put and you select a letter. This feature would not work as well on the internet in which answers would need to be answered using both a mouse and keyboard and the interface would not be handheld or portable (so that you can use it during commuting).
One function that could be activated is a dictionary function that won't tell you if you have the right answer or not, but will alert you if something you have put is not a word in the English (or whatever language you're playing in) dictionary.
Any programmers out there who could assess the practicality of this idea (in terms of how long it would take to program with a small team)?
