Comments on: The Excel Word Challenge http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/ Daily posts of Excel tips…and other stuff Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:39:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Simon http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-28023 Simon Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:27:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-28023 <p>Let's get this started again with Excel 2007. Sixteen-thousand three-hundred and eighty-four columns! Woo hoo!</p> Let’s get this started again with Excel 2007. Sixteen-thousand three-hundred and eighty-four columns! Woo hoo!

]]> By: Charlene http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-16893 Charlene Mon, 17 Oct 2005 16:09:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-16893 <p>Of course, (workWord "") and (How "") should be (hope it works this way) (workWord &lt&gt "") and (How &lt&gt ""), respectively.</p> Of course, (workWord “”) and (How “”) should be (hope it works this way) (workWord &lt&gt “”) and (How &lt&gt “”), respectively.

]]> By: Charlene http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-16894 Charlene Mon, 17 Oct 2005 16:09:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-16894 <p>:( Well, I think you get the idea anyway.</p> :( Well, I think you get the idea anyway.

]]> By: Charlene http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-16884 Charlene Mon, 17 Oct 2005 09:44:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-16884 <p>Hi All,</p> <p>Here's my function to do the test. The cool thing is, instead of just a Boolean, it returns a string showing which columns to use, or "" if the combination isn't possible. With no recursion, no references needed, and it only has 14 lines of non-blank code in the body!</p> <p>=====<br> Function ColSpellPoss(ByVal oneWord As String) As String</p> <p> workWord = oneWord</p> <p> For ColNum = 256 To 1 Step -1<br> ColAddr = Columns(ColNum).Address(False, False)<br> ColName = Left(ColAddr, InStr(ColAddr, ":") - 1)<br> If ((Len(workWord) > 1) And (Right(workWord, 2) = ColName)) Then<br> workWord = Left(workWord, Len(workWord) - 2)<br> How = ColName + " " + How<br> ElseIf (Right(workWord, 1) = ColName) Then<br> workWord = Left(workWord, Len(workWord) - 1)<br> How = ColName + " " + How<br> End If<br> Next ColNum</p> <p> If (workWord "") Then How = ""<br> ColSpellPoss = Trim(How)</p> <p>End Function<br> =====</p> <p>I set this up with a "Check" button in cell B2 with the following assigned macro.</p> <p>=====<br> Sub CheckWord()</p> <p> ' Where are the important items?<br> WordSheet = "Sheet2?<br> WordCell = "C2?</p> <p> ' Get the word<br> oneWord = UCase(Trim(Worksheets(WordSheet).Range(WordCell).Text))</p> <p> ' Check the word<br> How = ColSpellPoss(oneWord)</p> <p> ' Report results<br> If (How "") Then<br> MsgBox How, , "Possible"<br> Else<br> MsgBox "Not Possible", , "Not Possible"<br> End If</p> <p>End Sub<br> =====</p> <p>Charlene<br> charmtg at yahoo dot com</p> Hi All,

Here’s my function to do the test. The cool thing is, instead of just a Boolean, it returns a string showing which columns to use, or “” if the combination isn’t possible. With no recursion, no references needed, and it only has 14 lines of non-blank code in the body!

=====
Function ColSpellPoss(ByVal oneWord As String) As String

workWord = oneWord

For ColNum = 256 To 1 Step -1
ColAddr = Columns(ColNum).Address(False, False)
ColName = Left(ColAddr, InStr(ColAddr, “:”) – 1)
If ((Len(workWord) > 1) And (Right(workWord, 2) = ColName)) Then
workWord = Left(workWord, Len(workWord) – 2)
How = ColName + ” ” + How
ElseIf (Right(workWord, 1) = ColName) Then
workWord = Left(workWord, Len(workWord) – 1)
How = ColName + ” ” + How
End If
Next ColNum

If (workWord “”) Then How = “”
ColSpellPoss = Trim(How)

End Function
=====

I set this up with a “Check” button in cell B2 with the following assigned macro.

=====
Sub CheckWord()

‘ Where are the important items?
WordSheet = “Sheet2?
WordCell = “C2?

‘ Get the word
oneWord = UCase(Trim(Worksheets(WordSheet).Range(WordCell).Text))

‘ Check the word
How = ColSpellPoss(oneWord)

‘ Report results
If (How “”) Then
MsgBox How, , “Possible”
Else
MsgBox “Not Possible”, , “Not Possible”
End If

End Sub
=====

Charlene
charmtg at yahoo dot com

]]> By: Dave http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-6028 Dave Mon, 24 Jan 2005 04:54:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-6028 <p>I hadn't seen this thread till it got spammed (now removed)</p> <p>I used a RegExp approach which generated some more 11 letter words but I couldn't top CERAMBYCIDAES with the dictionary I used</p> <p>wavelengths<br> psychedelia<br> interethnic</p> <p>My identifying/testing code may be of interest. I used two very long regular expressions to parse 55,000 words and test for a valid match. I'm 99.9% sure that the validation works .... the concern is a string with a single / double column overlap may pass through incorrectly. If anyone finds one please let me know</p> <p>Cheers</p> <p>Dave</p> <div style="overflow: auto; white-space: nowrap;" class="codecolorer-container text default"><div style="white-space: nowrap;" class="text codecolorer">Option Explicit<br> <br> Sub CheckWords()<br> 'Requires a reference to MicroSoft VBscript Regular Expressions 5.5<br> 'This can an be done programatically with<br> 'ActiveWorkbook.VBProject.References.AddFromGuid "{3F4DACA7-160D-11D2-A8E9-00104B365C9F}", 5, 5<br> <br>     Dim RegEx As regexp<br>     Dim ColPos As Range<br>     Dim NewString As String, TestWord, tWord As Variant<br>     TestWord = Array("BEER", "BARBECUED", "MACADAMIA", "ELICIT", "PSYCHEDELIC", "SUBTERFUGE", _<br>                      "AEGILOPS", "BACTERICIDIN", "ANOEGENETIC", "CERAMBYCIDAES", "NOTME")<br>     Set RegEx = New regexp<br> <br>     'Create test string of "(A)?(B)?(C)?......(AA)?(AB)?(AC)?.....(IV)?<br>     RegEx.Pattern = "(w+):w+"<br>     For Each ColPos In Sheets(1).Columns<br>         NewString = NewString & "(" & RegEx.Replace(ColPos.Address(, False), "$1") & ")?"<br>     Next<br>     RegEx.Global = False<br> <br>     'Tests ABCD....AAABAC...IV<br>     For Each tWord In TestWord<br>         RegEx.Pattern = NewString<br>         If RegEx.Replace(tWord, 1) = "1" Then<br>             Debug.Print tWord & " is valid"<br>             'A second test is necessary as the first test may incorrectly partially match a string<br>             'ie "BACTERICIDIN" matches "B" then "AC" leaving no match for "TE" or "T"<br>         Else<br>             'Create test string of "(AA)?(AB)?(AC)?......(IV)?<br>             'ie "BACTERICIDIN" matches "BA" then "CT" then "ET" etc<br>             RegEx.Pattern = Right(NewString, Len(NewString) - InStr(NewString, "(AA)") + 1)<br>             'Tests AAABAC....IV<br>             If RegEx.Replace(tWord, 1) = "1" Then<br>                 Debug.Print tWord & " is valid"<br>             Else<br>                 Debug.Print tWord & " is invalid"<br>             End If<br>         End If<br>     Next<br>     Set RegEx = Nothing<br> End Sub</div></div> I hadn’t seen this thread till it got spammed (now removed)

I used a RegExp approach which generated some more 11 letter words but I couldn’t top CERAMBYCIDAES with the dictionary I used

wavelengths
psychedelia
interethnic

My identifying/testing code may be of interest. I used two very long regular expressions to parse 55,000 words and test for a valid match. I’m 99.9% sure that the validation works …. the concern is a string with a single / double column overlap may pass through incorrectly. If anyone finds one please let me know

Cheers

Dave

Option Explicit

Sub CheckWords()
‘Requires a reference to MicroSoft VBscript Regular Expressions 5.5
‘This can an be done programatically with
‘ActiveWorkbook.VBProject.References.AddFromGuid “{3F4DACA7-160D-11D2-A8E9-00104B365C9F}”, 5, 5

    Dim RegEx As regexp
    Dim ColPos As Range
    Dim NewString As String, TestWord, tWord As Variant
    TestWord = Array(“BEER”, “BARBECUED”, “MACADAMIA”, “ELICIT”, “PSYCHEDELIC”, “SUBTERFUGE”, _
                     ”AEGILOPS”, “BACTERICIDIN”, “ANOEGENETIC”, “CERAMBYCIDAES”, “NOTME”)
    Set RegEx = New regexp

    ‘Create test string of “(A)?(B)?(C)?……(AA)?(AB)?(AC)?…..(IV)?
    RegEx.Pattern = “(w+):w+”
    For Each ColPos In Sheets(1).Columns
        NewString = NewString & “(” & RegEx.Replace(ColPos.Address(, False), “$1″) & “)?”
    Next
    RegEx.Global = False

    ‘Tests ABCD….AAABAC…IV
    For Each tWord In TestWord
        RegEx.Pattern = NewString
        If RegEx.Replace(tWord, 1) = “1″ Then
            Debug.Print tWord & ” is valid”
            ‘A second test is necessary as the first test may incorrectly partially match a string
            ‘ie “BACTERICIDIN” matches “B” then “AC” leaving no match for “TE” or “T”
        Else
            ‘Create test string of “(AA)?(AB)?(AC)?……(IV)?
            ‘ie “BACTERICIDIN” matches “BA” then “CT” then “ET” etc
            RegEx.Pattern = Right(NewString, Len(NewString) – InStr(NewString, “(AA)”) + 1)
            ‘Tests AAABAC….IV
            If RegEx.Replace(tWord, 1) = “1″ Then
                Debug.Print tWord & ” is valid”
            Else
                Debug.Print tWord & ” is invalid”
            End If
        End If
    Next
    Set RegEx = Nothing
End Sub

]]> By: Andy Pope http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-1318 Andy Pope Sun, 11 Apr 2004 14:53:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-1318 <p>I have posted a page on my site so if anybodys interested they can see the code. I'm sure its not 100% complete.</p> <p><a href="http://www.andypope.info/fun/Columnwords.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.andypope.info/fun/Columnwords.htm</a></p> I have posted a page on my site so if anybodys interested they can see the code. I’m sure its not 100% complete.

http://www.andypope.info/fun/Columnwords.htm

]]> By: JWalk http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-1317 JWalk Sun, 11 Apr 2004 02:14:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-1317 <p>50 lines? I gave up after writing about 20 lines, realizing that it was a lot more difficult than I originally thought.</p> 50 lines? I gave up after writing about 20 lines, realizing that it was a lot more difficult than I originally thought.

]]> By: Andy Pope http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-1316 Andy Pope Sat, 10 Apr 2004 21:35:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-1316 <p>I can't beat either the longest word or the single column word :(</p> <p>But I can add a twist which will let EX-CE-L work.</p> <p>It requires XL2003 (maybe even XL2002), on the Tools > Options dialog on the International tab is a switch that allows right-to-left layout.<br> This opens up a lot of new letter combinations :0</p> <p>What do you think Dick, imaginative work-around or cheat?</p> <p>BTW my 2 checking VBA routines are just short of 50 lines.</p> I can’t beat either the longest word or the single column word :(

But I can add a twist which will let EX-CE-L work.

It requires XL2003 (maybe even XL2002), on the Tools > Options dialog on the International tab is a switch that allows right-to-left layout.
This opens up a lot of new letter combinations :0

What do you think Dick, imaginative work-around or cheat?

BTW my 2 checking VBA routines are just short of 50 lines.

]]> By: Jan Vromant http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-1315 Jan Vromant Sat, 10 Apr 2004 17:08:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-1315 <p>Shen, this is awesome!</p> Shen, this is awesome!

]]> By: shen fenderson http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/archives/2004/04/09/the-excel-word-challenge/#comment-1314 shen fenderson Sat, 10 Apr 2004 07:27:00 +0000 http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/?p=455#comment-1314 <p>I was using the scrabble long word list. Good thing I never tried to use "bactericidin" while playing scrabble.</p> <p>Anyway, I tried some other dictionaries, and came up with:</p> <p>CERAMBYCIDAES</p> <p>...beetles of the family cerambycidae. Not exactly a common word, but hey, google finds two entomologists that use it.</p> I was using the scrabble long word list. Good thing I never tried to use “bactericidin” while playing scrabble.

Anyway, I tried some other dictionaries, and came up with:

CERAMBYCIDAES

…beetles of the family cerambycidae. Not exactly a common word, but hey, google finds two entomologists that use it.

]]>