Many Games and Columns Added to Weekly King Package

By: E&P Staff King Features Weekly Service has just added 21 features to its package with no change in pricing for its basic service. At the same time, seven "low-usage" features were cut from the KFWS lineup.

Seventeen games arrived at KFWS from its "MindGym package," and four new text columns were introduced.

The columns include "NASCAR This Week" from Monte Dutton, "The Kitchen Diva" with Angela Medearis, "Couch Theater" DVD reviews by DNA Smith, and the "Flashback" music trivia quiz from Mick Harper.

The 17 games -- which include crossword puzzles, number puzzles, and more -- are "ThemeCross" by Kelly Ann Buchanan, "Fear Not" by Ronald Johnson, "CryptoQuip," "CrytpoQuote," "Try Squares" by Linda Thistle, "Stickelers" from Terry Stickels," "Snowflakes" by Japheth Light, "Tri-Doku" by Light, "Jigsaw Sudoku" by Thistle, "Letter Box" by Thistle, "Even Exchange" by Donna Pettman, "Across and Down" by Pettman, "Puzzles4Kids" by Helene Hovanec, "Monkeying Around" by David Kalvitis, "Scramblers," "Mega Maze," and "Kids' Maze."

All the changes in the package were spurred by usage patterns identified through customer surveys, said KFWS General Manager David Cohea. "The trend has clearly been in the direction of games and puzzles," he added. "Editors can most readily get sponsorship for this content, and readers are addicted to the stuff."

The Orlando, Fla.-based KFWS -- whose Web site can be seen here -- distributes features to more than 1,300 weekly, monthly, college, and small daily customers.