Subject: wordbox
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
Thinking abt my example of the F’s and the H’s.. I’m not sure that’s correct that it MUST go there.. but is just very likely. lol idk now I’m confused abt it. Which is good, for a strategy game, to have to think abt it, ha
ps- I did awful on the first 3 today but on the last one I got it in 15 and it said 0%, does that mean it’s a new game? I’m assuming someone else can get it without mess ups using the arrows. (That was the only one today I saw where I was able to easily use arrows alone to figure it out- the others were harder for that)
User: JamaicaJoe
Message:
Nice game. I am in the bottom 14%tile. I think that is good? I also failed Spanish after 5 years.
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
Yeah Joe that’s good. I took French and Spanish and can’t remember une lick of either.
User: BrewCrewOldSkool
Message:
25 swaps first attempt (passable)...making a legit 6 x 5 grid is no joke!! I've tried, generally failed...HOW ON EARTH WAS ANY DECENT CROSSWORD PUZZLE CREATED PRE-INFORMATION AGE? YIKES!
Patrick Berry was the best creator I've ever come across...Manny Nosowsky takes silver there...
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
Brewcrew- I had some good clues and a fun theme I wanted to submit when nytimes was taking crossword submissions.. and yea, that stuff is no joke. I eventually got too overwhelmed trying to create one I guess I just stopped. I had no software btw was just trying to pencil and graph paper it, lol- genius move on my part.
User: kirismum
Message:
Really enjoying playing this. Coming up with a grid like that takes some doing!
User: Q_platense
Message:
Hi Eric,
This is a great game. I can envision a future stage when you allow players to have a profile and keep for each of them a record of (a) games completed and (b) total of moves in these games. Whith these two numbers you could calculate an average (several digits needed) and display an overall ranking of players and show it to each player upon the completion of each game. I imagine that a player should complete a minimum amount of games to be included in the ranking averages (to keep out a lucky player who completed a box in 10 moves and played no more). Many people love this kind of competition, and they would try hard to improve their ranking by playing yet another game.
Greetings from La Plata, Argentina
User: EricSink
Message:
The F/H example: I don't think it's correct to say that it MUST go there, but you are broadly correct in saying that if you look closely and think hard, the arrows are telling you more information than you might initially think. :-)
No offense taken by any of the feedback here. I find all of it useful. Even if your feedback tells me that you didn't read the two sentences at the bottom of the screen, I get some value from hearing that. All appreciated. :-)
Oooh, Argentina? Maybe I should do a Spanish version.
User: BrewCrewOldSkool
Message:
So Go! you know what I mean regarding the difficulty of grid creation (larger than 4 by 4)...I've solved countless puzzles, yet SOLELY a handful comprised of essentially nothing but 7 by 7 quadrants...someday there'll be a 15 by 15, by not until most world languages have coalesced (two to three centuries).
User: sebcbien2
Message:
What I like in this game is the word definition at the end, useful when english is not my mother tongue
quite happy to know that caca is the same in french and english, I did not want to try it when I did the grid today nevertheless I did 3% 13 Aug 2024 : 20 swaps -- https://wordbox.game
User: EricSink
Message:
We've added a histogram to the score screen you see after a puzzle. It uses vertical bars to show the relative number of players that got each score. The bar for your score is show in blue, so you can see where you landed "on the curve".
Feedback welcome. Too nerdy?
User: EricSink
Message:
I also changed the instructions (Tap on How to Play Word Box in the upper right) to hopefully make the explanation of the arrows less confusing. The original text was perhaps too concise.
Feedback welcome. Does this help? Too wordy?
User: BuzzClik
Message:
The new instructions are great. Succinct and clear.
The histogram is a nice visual, but could you add a whistle or bell or two? For example, a "slider" that one can drag along the x-axis to see how many (or what percentage) of players received a given score. I was accustomed to seeing my "xx players scored lower than <my score>", and I'm not sure that bit of info is available in the current iteration.
By the way, despite my initial resistance to taking on yet another word game, I have been playing every day.
User: MrFixit
Message:
The weird thing about the percentage was I think it shifted during the day as more folks played. Like I'd get a "0% used less clicks" but then later it would say "21% used less clicks". I'm not sure how to address that as the day goes on you're probably going to change.
User: BuzzClik
Message:
My assumption about the change % is the same as yours -- things change as the day progresses.
The odd thing about the histogram was that I played one day at about noon, and the highest score (a huge outlier) was 102. After Eric posted that day, I went back to the histogram, and that outlier was gone.
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
Brew- def know what you mean. While it’s possible to create without tech, (I’ve read ppl do it,) it surely takes a unique mind & a special sort of patience. +The pattern recognition involved in grasping where words can fit together must take a very trained eye, one which seemed easy enough until I tried it.
The Times rules call for max 78 words on 15x15, or 140 on 21x21 grid, (slightly less for themeless but think grid remains same.) If I remember correctly I’d fill abt half a puzzle at best, then get frustrated trying to make some vital-to-theme words fit in remaining boxes. After filling 2 or more books of graph paper with my efforts, I set project aside for a future date, ha.
Tho I do think freecell enthusiasts have a shot at mastering some of those qualities at least well enough to do one or 2 puzzles with true commitment. Here’s a link to a more current submissions page if ever you’d like to give it a shot. Maybe you’d have better luck?: https://www.nytimes.com/article/submit-crossword-puzzles-the-new-york-times.html
User: BrewCrewOldSkool
Message:
Some Times puzzles I've done have been created within crossword classes...I've subscribed to their puzzle since a way while back...I miss Manny Nosowsky, Patrick Berry, Elizabeth Gorski, and other's puzzles...(but I have noticed a more varied occurrence of uncommon puzzle symmetries...
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
Brew- you know more on the subject than the average person, probs. I bet you could do one of these no problem with some commitment and maybe a bit of hair pulling, ha.
ps- I’d love a crossword class. That sounds super fun
User: MrFixit
Message:
How many employed crossword puzzle makers can there be? How can you have a class for that?
User: BuzzClik
Message:
Not sure she wants a degree in Puzzling, but it begs the question: Can one major in puzzle making somewhere?
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
Denny, lol I’ve wondered that myself. But in my brief stint of trying to make one by hand, after a while of being like, “erm..how do ppl make these!?!l” .. finally perused material in links provided and man- it is much more serious than I thought.
And like how Brew mentioned names, some creators have a die hard fan base. Ppl write in to honor a retired puzzler’s work or say how they were better when so-and-so did them. Or they’ll be casually mentioned by a writer in some fashion that feels like you’re not in the club if you don’t know who they’re talking abt. I guess it’s one of those comforts I took for granted ppl can spend so many days with they start to feel bonded to it. A Sunday crossword can be like a Sunday meal for some.
I never got to that level, I was more a “feel like a genius on the easy days, leave most blank on the wkends” type gal, but I only played frequently for a few years and I guess I did sorta develop a vocab for each paper.. certain words they use a lot, etc. So I guess I can see how ppl can get there after several years : “I miss jimmy’s style, I knew there’d always be a 4 letter clue starting with A and it’d be “akin”
It’s prob akin (heh) to when your fave snl cast shuffles and it doesn’t feel as clever because you’d finally gotten down with the last ones style.
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
Brew, I imagine most classes are for hobbyists, like pottery class or something? But I now know some apparently make a great career out of it and I think that’s cool. (Like Sunday cartoonists, kinda. I love that most of these folks prob grew up to have their dream job.) Was yours more hobby class, elective type deal? Or were there some pro puzzlers?
User: EricSink
Message:
Yes, when I was showing the percentage, it could change throughout the day. The histogram can change too.
On the outlier: Basically every day, there is at least one huge score. If I include that outlier in the plot, it looks weird. The bell curve portion is the interesting part, but it gets compressed way over at the left. So the current implementation limits the X axis at the point where 95% of the players are included. I may need to tweak this further.
User: BuzzClik
Message:
The outlier on the high end would skew the histogram, but 95% seems a bit limited, especially on the low end.
There's always a statistician in the crowd with their hair ready to ignite, but 95% on the high end and 99.5% on the low end would provide a bit more insight into how the geniuses are making out on a given day.
User: EricSink
Message:
Clarifying: The low end doesn't exclude any scores. So the left-most histogram bar always represents the best score anyone got, and that's the number shown just below in the axis label. It's only the high end where I exclude outliers.
That said, I'm not defending my current 95% approach as the best one. It very well might need to be improved, and there will probably be certain cases which show that.
User: cellmate
Message:
maybe make the rightmost bar be more inclusive like >35
it would also be nice to be able to see the histograms without having to play
User: BuzzClik
Message:
Very cool how today’s puzzle went full gonzo. Did not see that coming. You guys are not slaves to the “normal rules”!
👍😎
User: EricSink
Message:
The stuff for sharing to social media is graphical now. Example:
https://wordbox.game
🟦🟨🟦🟨🟦🟦
🟨🟦🟧🟦🟦🟦
🟨🟦🟦🟧🟧⬛
🟦🟨🟦🟧⬛🟫
19 Aug 2024 : 26 swaps
The colors for each square indicate how many swaps you did with that square.
Blue: 1 swap (perfect)
Yellow: 2
Orange: 3
Red: 4
Brown: 5
Black: 6 or more
I had a bit of trouble in the lower-right corner of today's puzzle.
User: BrewCrewOldSkool
Message:
To: Go!
No, my puzzles were all self-made: "brick and mortar" construction, replete with thumbing through dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauri, and such...I really only did complete three, with one of them being decently passable enough to offer up to the big papers with merely *minor* chagrin...I didn't, but I suspect it'd have landed in a monstrous slush pile...nevertheless I was proud enough of its Tuesday-level difficulty, interesting hinting, artistic theme (silent-film actress Louise Brooks, fave of mine).
User: MrFixit
Message:
Here's from a friend's FB feed who apparently plays a lot of these games. I think you're looking good except I'd bias it for more green as I usually think of green as the Happy Color. Altho this screenshot doesn't corroborate that... so maybe pay me no mind.
User: MrFixit
Message:
https://wordbox.game
🟧🟥🟧🟧🟦🟦
🟧🟦🟧🟧🟧🟦
🟦🟨🟫🟦🟦🟧
🟦🟦🟦🟦🟨🟨
21 Aug 2024 : 25 swaps
User: SchrodingersCat
Message:
https://wordbox.game
🟦🟨🟦🟨🟨🟨
🟥🟦🟫🟦🟧🟨
🟦🟦🟦🟦🟥🟦
🟦🟦🟥🟨🟦🟥
21 Aug 2024 : 24 swaps
Ha!
User: MrFixit
Message:
Oh sure, beat me by 1!
Sometimes I guess a word that fits all the clues but it's wrong so I lose a swap right away. So there's a little luck mixed with a lot of skill.
Then there's just times where I move the stupid letter around until it lights up. Those don't count.
All in all Eric's words seem pretty good. There are a few oddballs but mostly they're pretty guessable.
MrFixit aka Denny
User: rbf
Message:
Try as I may I cannot see all the rules on my screen. Why won't it scroll!
User: HopDiriDiriDattiriDittiriDom
Message:
I have the same problem. It's because the task bar overlays the bottom part of the canvas. The canvas size should be adjusted if the task bar is not set to "autohide".
User: drscience
Message:
22 Aug 2024 B
British slang seems like a stretch. Definitely cost me a couple of swaps.
https://wordbox.game
🟨🟨🟦🟦🟨
🟦🟦🟫🟥🟦
🟦🟨🟦🟦🟦
🟥🟦🟨🟦🟥
22 Aug 2024 B: 19 swaps
User: MrFixit
Message:
What browser are you using that’s hiding stuff? Been working good with Safari, Chrome, and I think I’ve hit it with Edge too.
User: EricSink
Message:
On certain screen sizes (mostly landscape), the rules screen doesn't fit. Sorry for the hassle. We'll get it fixed.
User: sprucegoose
Message:
User: Dr.Bombay
Message:
How https://wordbox.game
🟦🟨🟦🟦🟧🟦
🟧🟦🟨🟦🟦🟦
🟨🟦🟨🟥🟦🟨
🟦🟨🟧🟦🟦🟨
22 Aug 2024 : 20 swaps
User: drscience
Message:
https://wordbox.game
🟦🟨🟦🟨🟦
🟨🟦🟨🟦🟨
🟥🟦🟦🟦🟨
🟧🟨🟨🟦🟨
22 Aug 2024 C: 17 swaps
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
Still rlly enjoying game Eric, tho will mention in case it’s helpful, still having movement trouble.
Currently playing B, or 3rd game, and just had letter highlight that I didn’t select. I clicked one below it but one above lit as if pressed, and when I clicked it again in attempt to deselect it, it again selected one above it and swapped.
Didn’t happen at all on game A, the 2nd of today, but did have a false swap 2 or I think rlly 3x on first game, where letter I didn’t select was above or below one clicked and moved instead. Also twice in same first game where letter I didn’t select lit up but I was able to deselect before a swap.
I haven’t read anyone else say it’s happening to them tho so I don’t get it because I’m being careful when pressing? I’ve noticed it tends to happen more on some games and not at all on others, if that’s useful.
Ps-Blaurgh, happened twice on game C also. And I’m having trouble clicking on extra games, like had to click game C 10-15x before it came up. Can’t click on scores at all. I’m on a touchscreen if that’s relevant, could it be anything on my end?
User: MrFixit
Message:
PC? Laptop? Tablet? Phone? Chrome? Safari? Edge? Windows? Mac? Other?
User: EricSink
Message:
GoAdoptADog: I'm curious about this problem. We've never seen it. Like MrFixit asked, please tell us everything about your environment, platform, browser, versions, etc.
Honestly it sounds like a hardware problem, like something is wrong with the screen, but it seems like if that were true you would be having trouble with other apps.
User: HopDiriDiriDattiriDittiriDom
Message:
Desktop (win10), FF, taskbar auto hide is disabled.
User: MrFixit
Message:
Go says it's a touchscreen so probably a tablet altho there are laptops that do both.
It does sound like a touchscreen calibration issue but then I'd think Go would be having problems with Freecell too.
Try this. Click the start button over on the right:
https://www.onlinemictest.com/touch-screen-test
MrFixit
P.S. Hop -- Eric says he'll fix it. Eric-- if you just render plain ol' HTML pages as much as possible, HTML will just do its thing.
User: EricSink
Message:
The problem with the instructions running off the bottom of the screen should be fixed now.
User: HopDiriDiriDattiriDittiriDom
Message:
"The problem with the instructions running off the bottom of the screen should be fixed now."
Partly. If I click right arrow, the next screen still has it.
User: GoAdoptADog!
Message:
My bad y’all- been slaving to animals. Yea, it’s a tablet. 9th gen iPad. Lmk if there’s more details you want on that. I’m using chrome and try to do most things in incognito mode to avoid tracking & malware, idk if that’s relevant but I could’ve been incognito. If so, I’ll do tmr’s game in normal mode and see if it happens. I think at least once I’ve played where didn’t happen at all, but often does and some games can happen 3 or 4 swaps.
I’d say it’s a hardware problem too but don’t have issues elsewhere, so no idea. Sometimes play this game, “ilovehue” that involves moving rlly tiny boxes of color next to similar shades &hues (great game btw- therapeutic but also challenging and good for artistic eyes) I’d think that game would be near impossible if it had to do with touch sensitivity or hardware, and never had a problem with it or freecell, so idk? I’m srry I can’t say more on reason, but if you’d like I can note when it happens and let you know? Abt to do dennys test real quick I’ll update.
ps-took test and passed, all areas I pressed lit quickly, so idk why, very odd if it’s just on my end. Maybe tmrs won’t do it outside of incognito. Also, I don’t have large fingers and gen move and txt pretty quickly on iPhones/ipads.