http://java.dzone.com/articles/thursday-code-puzzler-13

TestJava.java

import java.util.Arrays;

/**
 * User: AKutuzov
 * Date: 8/8/13
 * Time: 11:47 AM
 */
public class TestJava {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        TestJava test = new TestJava();
        test.c = new char[][]{
                {'e', 's', 'a', 's', 'j'},
                {'w', 'n', 'v', 'o', '9'},
                {'r', 's', 'o', 'i', 'a'},
                {'y', 's', 's', 'z', 'a'},
                {'e', 's', 'r', 'a', 'd'}};
        test.expectedWord = "dzone".toCharArray();
        test.find();
    }

    char[][] c;
    char[] expectedWord;

    void find() {
        for (int main_i = 0; main_i < c.length; main_i++) {
            for (int main_j = 0; main_j < c[main_i].length; main_j++) {
                if (checkLetters(main_i, main_j)) {
                    System.out.println("Found!!!");
                    return;
                }
            }
        }
        System.out.println("Not Found!!!");
    }

    boolean checkLetters(int main_i, int main_j) {
        if (!checkLetter(0, main_i, main_j)) {
            return false;
        }
        int step = 0;
        boolean[] direction = {true, true, true, true, true, true, true, true};
        int[][] mask = {{0, -1}, {1, -1}, {1, 0}, {1, 1}, {0, 1}, {-1, 1}, {-1, 0}, {-1, -1}};
        while (step < expectedWord.length - 1) {
            step++;
            boolean nothing = true;
            for (int d = 0; d < direction.length; d++) {
                if (direction[d]) {
                    if (!checkLetter(step, main_i + step * mask[d][0], main_j + step * mask[d][1])) {
                        direction[d] = false;
                    } else {
                        nothing = false;
                    }
                }
            }
            if (nothing) return false;
        }
        System.out.println("We found something on: x = " + main_i + " y = " + main_j);
        System.out.println("Directions " + Arrays.toString(direction));
        return true;
    }

    boolean checkLetter(int pos, int i, int j) {
        if (i < 0 || j < 0) return false;
        if (c.length <= i || c[i].length <= j) return false;
        return expectedWord[pos] == c[i][j];
    }
}