What’s a five-letter word for angry?

Cross?

Right. That’s the way some readers are feeling about our daily crossword puzzle, according to our always reliable Sun Spots lady.

We have been fielding scattered complaints since the first of the year, and we have made several calls to the supplier of the puzzle to ferret out the problem.

Here’s what we have learned:

Sometime last year, United Media, the aforementioned puzzle supplier, received rather loud complaints from several newspapers (not the Sun Journal) that the puzzle clues seemed a little old-fashioned and predictable.

As in, five letters for discontinued toothpaste?

Ipana.

Don’t believe it? Google it, kid.

At any rate, the supplier asked its puzzle master to enlarge and modernize his database of words and clues. You know, freshen it up.

As in, four letter word for hot lady singer:

Gaga.

Don’t get it? Try YouTube, Gramps.

United Media introduced the modernized puzzle in January and readers were … what’s another five-letter word for angry?

Yes, livid.

So many newspapers (including the Sun Journal) called to complain that United Media asked its puzzle master to dial back on the changes.

And, in about March, he did. The complaints from newspapers, according to United Media, disappeared … until we called them last week.

We’re still getting scattered complaints.

But, here’s our dilemma: We may have thousands of people out there who love the puzzle just the way it is.

One editor on the staff cuts them out and sends them to his father-in-law in Ohio. He likes our puzzle better than the ones in his local newspaper.

There are other puzzles available. It’s not really a matter of easier or harder. It’s more a matter of picking a puzzle with a clue set that is more familiar to a certain segment or generation of users.

But, as we said, we could pick up a new puzzle to please a couple of dozen people, and in so doing irritate a couple thousand other people.

Thus we tread carefully here.

But we would certainly appreciate more feedback on the puzzle issue, using the familiar Goldilocks test.

Tell us — is it too difficult, too easy or just right? Should we try another alternative?

You can mail your opinion to: Puzzle, Sun Journal, 104 Park St., Lewiston, Maine, 04243-4400.

Or, you can e-mail your thoughts to: [email protected].

Or, you can go online and respond to a survey that will be posted for the next seven days at www.sunjournal.com.

Again, this is not a matter or “too easy” versus “too hard.” We want to pick a puzzle that is both challenging and enjoyable for the largest number of readers.

You can help us do so by responding to our survey.

[email protected]