# Install wordplay with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts Anagram generator. Version 7.22 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-19. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:wordplay ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install wordplay ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install wordplay ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: games/wordplay/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install wordplay ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: wordplay from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:wordplay - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 7.22 - **Source summary:** Anagram generator - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** LicenseRef-Homebrew-cannot-represent - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-19T12:33:04-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - wordplay (cli) - wordplay (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 7.22 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-19 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://hsvmovies.com/static_subpages/personal_orig/wordplay/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage wordplay is a small ANSI C anagram generator by Evans A. Criswell. Its own homepage records version 1.00 as created on 1991-03-29, version 7.22 as released on 1996-03-20, and describes Unix, DOS, and OS/2 distributions. ### Project history The author says the first version was written in FORTRAN for Microsoft FORTRAN 5.0 on OS/2 and could only produce two-word anagrams with a brute-force approach. It was converted to C as version 4.00 on 1993-04-30, and version 5.00 introduced a recursive approach on 1993-11-08 that removed the fixed word-count limit. ### How it is used The program anagrams an input string using its bundled word file, while allowing a different dictionary file to be supplied. Debian's package description preserves the same niche: a command-line anagram generator that can use language wordlists. ### Why package nerds care wordplay is package-manager archaeology: a compact 1990s command-line word tool that survived because it is simple, portable C and useful enough for word-game and text-play workflows. ### Timeline - 1991-03-29: Version 1.00 is created. - 1993-04-30: Version 4.00 converts the program from FORTRAN to C. - 1993-11-08: Version 5.00 introduces recursive multi-word anagram generation. - 1996-03-20: Version 7.22 is released for Unix. ### Sources - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** wordplay - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - wordplay - 8.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: wordplay from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | anagram generator | https://github.com/mendelmunkis/wordplay - Ubuntu apt - wordplay - 8.0-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: wordplay from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | anagram generator | https://github.com/mendelmunkis/wordplay - MacPorts - wordplay: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: games/wordplay/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [ispell](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ispell/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, text-processing, writing. - [alexjs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/alexjs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [diction](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/diction/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [hayagriva](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hayagriva/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [languagetool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/languagetool/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [pandemics](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pandemics/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [redpen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/redpen/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [style-check](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/style-check/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, productivity, writing. - [aspell](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aspell/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, processing, productivity, text, text-processing. - [asciidoc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/asciidoc/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, processing, productivity, text, text-processing. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/wordplay.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/wordplay.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph