Wordlock

Wordlock is a brand of combination lock (there is also a version for notebooks) marketed by l|Wordlock,llc and STAPLES that differs from traditional combination locks in that it has letters on its dials instead of numbers. [http://www.wordlock.com/about.html About Wordlock] - URL accessed 2006-08-25.] This allows the combination to be a four—or five—letter word or name, similar to a password, and therefore potentially easier to remember than a series of digits. [ [http://diet.ivillage.com/gear/gadvice/0,,83qgq0q9,00.html iVillage review of "Wordlock"] - URL accessed 2006-08-25.] "Wordlock" was invented by Todd Basche, and won the first ever Staples Invention Quest in 2004. [ [http://inventionquest.dja.com/staplesCons/pages/EasyProducts.html Staples Invention Quest previous winners] - URL accessed 2006-08-25.] An important factual Update to this article: The merit of this possibility (letters v. numbers) these days may be simply the fact that it was finally commercialized. And that is a substantive merit. The concept is not infringing on any other patent, as it is in the public domain. 19th century lock patents indicate that 'letters, instead of numbers may be used, but numbers are preferred'. Also, the concept is described in very old editions of Webster's Dictionary.
See: http://www.geocities.com/whatsthebiginvention

Possible combinations

The five rings on the "Wordlock" each contain ten letters as follows:

Each ring can be rotated independently of the others, leading to a possible $10^5$, or 100000, different combinations. However, since not every combination will yield a valid (or even pronounceable) word, "Wordlock" is estimated to be able to use only 1000 real 'dictionary' words as combinations, [ [http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000899.php Cool Tool review of "Wordlock"] - URL accessed 2006-08-25.] rendering it insecure compared to numerical combination locks. However, the quoted 1000 words don't include the possibilities such as combinations which are pseudo-words (for example BLATS and JADA), certain names (BUNTY or MOSES), and swear words like BITCH and ARSE. The fourth ring is troublesome, in the fact that it is missing a K, D and an R and makes many four letter words impossible to spell (correctly). Some of the many possible combinations are as follows:

BrainSleekMatchAlienChatDrinkDutyBreakBunnySuitSuitsChickThisTodayMeltMeltsBored

See also

* Combination lock
* Anagrams
* Word play

References

External links

* [http://www.wordlock.com/ Wordlock]
* [http://www.staples.com/ Staples]
* [http://inventionquest.dja.com/ Staples Invention Quest]