Richard Spens has a hobby that leads him onto the Internet, through magazines, to auctions and into farmers' back yards.

Addendum crossword for November/December 2002.

Nobody's sure what went on in Bolsa Chica, CA, when gear-shaped stones were used there 8,700 years ago, but a popular belief is that at least some activity revolved around manufacturing.

Gear manufacturers typically use plastic, steel or other metals to make their gears, but Andrew Shotts made his first gears out of sugar and chocolate.

In a little-known incident, Soviet machinists at Mil Helicopter worked in 1988 and 1989 on a special project to be used against Americans.

Top Secret Code Name: Ginger Mission: Design, prototype and test a transmission for a new device. The transmission must be compact and efficient. It should have almost no backlash, and it must be able to operate in both forward and reverse. Most importantly, the transmission must be quiet. In fact, it shouldn't sound like a transmission at all. It should blend in with the environment and sound like music or the wind. This mission, should you choose to accept it, is top secret. Not even your employees can know what you're working on...

Find the gear-related words listed on the right in the puzzle below. The words may be horizontal, vertical or diagonal and may be written forward or backward.

Does anyone know where we can find a gear-shaped fruitcake? It's the holiday season again, and the Addendum staff has many friends. We'd like to get each of them the perfect holiday gift, something the demonstrates thought, caring and good will. Of course, we're looking for gifts with meaning, and for us, that can only mean gears.

The Dictionary of American Biography describes him as "one of the founders of the gear-cutting industry in the United State." He built the first hobbing machine for cutting spur gears. He founded the companies that are now Boston Gear and Philadelphia Gear Corp.

Addendum