Hangman programs proliferate for every micro, but Wordhang is the Rolls-Royce of them all.

There are several modes of play: individual word entry; use of list files supplied on tape; use of list files created using the Wordstore program supplied.

The program is menu-driven and allows the user to choose the length of guessing time. There is also a progress monitoring option to keep a record of the child's skill in spelling and comprehension.

As the child begins to play, the gallows appear - which alarmed some users who were used to having them built as and when they make mistakes. The mystery word is displayed as a series of dashes and a running list of letters already guessed is maintained for the child to see. For classrooms, it would have been an improvement to use double-height teletext characters, but this is a minor criticism.

Use of the same letter twice is not allowed and all illegal keyboard entries are ignored. As the word nears completion, encouraging messages are displayed and the man grows from head downwards as each error is added to the previous one.

The graphics are particularly good - if gruesome! The man smiles all the way up to the last mistake. As his final foot is fitted, his expression changes, his lip quivers and, with a most realistic bouncing, he drops and turns blue! Unfortunately, as is often the case with this sort of program, the reward for failure is more entertaining than that for success.

The child may guess the word at any point during the program, but a wrong guess incures a three-stage penalty in the man's development.

This is an excellent version of an old chestnut and has obviously been well tested. Apart from the BREAK key, there isn't much to threaten its robustness. Its flexibility in use is going to mean that many people who have used this type of program, especially in the classroom, will have one to cover all their needs.