Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a symbol recognition process gesture indicating a starting point of symbol entry, to recognize a series of symbols as they are received subsequent to receiving the symbol recognition process gesture, and to instantiate the series of symbols as a symbol set upon receiving an indication that reception of the series of symbols is complete. Instantiating can serve to indicate an ending point of the symbol entry, and to provide the symbol set as a source of input to a process associated with an icon into which the symbol set has been moved, such as by dragging and dropping, or flicking. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.