This is not a game for me - I don’t enjoy scrambled letter games in the first place, and I don’t really respond to time pressure in games. That said, I don’t think you should change it. It’s conceptually clear as it is, and adding a forgiving mode would just make it wishy washy. The simplicity is appealing and it doesn’t have to be for everyone!

Just a vote since I'm seeing a lot of anti-timer sentiment: I like the timer because it creates a conclusive way for the game to end, and causes me to spend a lot less time on the game, I imagine. But I also think it makes sense to have a non-timer mode. It would also be cool to have like 3 shuffles that you are allowed to use. As an exit to the non-timer mode, I think it would be fine to have an "I give up " button.

I'm totally fine with the way it works, because, well, it's a game, losing should be losing. I mean, I kinda want to continue, but I'm glad I'm not allowed to. I didn't make it. There will be another chance tomorrow.

But I'd like to propose allowing keyboard input. Losing because of your mouse skills in a pattern recognition game is annoying.

If you're not set on a "survival mode" design, could you design it as counting up instead of counting down? And maybe showing a "par" time, that way players can opt into the challenge vs. just a morning brainteaser.

Complete gut reaction to your first question, my preference would be two fold: 1. An option to start the game in timeless mode 2. When I fail a word, prior to showing me the word, give me the option to enter timeless mode for the rest of the run, such that it doesn't ruin the current round, and that run is now excluded

As for the second, that's more suggestive and I don't care as much either way. Personally me for me I've just been going down the archive trying each day. I enjoy competitive games, so once I miss a word I don't have much interest in continuing on.

I’d prefer a timer, but when it runs out of time, you just don’t get credit for the word.

You click next and it goes to the next word.

I don’t want hints but I can see how others might want that. But you still don’t get credit for hints. Or it shows “x hints used”

Final score can show that you got the first N words in <30s (as it is now), and you can have other stats:

* Total number of consecutive words (even if over time)

* Total number of words

* total words <30 seconds

* Plus whatever hint based metrics you want

In my dream version of this:

a) the timer would be cumulative, so that solving the early words faster gives more time for the harder words,

b) going negative wouldn't end the game, it would just turn the time red or something, with the goal being to finish all of the words with the highest time-remaining possible, rather than just to win/lose.

1. keep the timer counting up

2. add a multiplier depending on the number of seconds until solved. [30s / [taken]s = score

    eg.: 10s solution gives x3 score 
         30s = 1 score (1x1)
         40s = 0.75
         60s 0.5

Someone replied with "survival mode" which is a great way to phrase it.

Maybe a few different modes? How many can you get out of 18, how long can you last (unlimited), and just a chilled relaxed mode.

I would like a chance to play a puzzle I failed on to just practice what comes next. I don't need rewards or anything after the initial fail.

Fun game, thanks for sharing!

> 2. For those who like the timed version would you prefer to continue when you miss a word and then get a final score out of 18?

Absolutely, I had to reopen it a bunch of times in incognito to make it to the end xD

Very fun!

A button to jumble the letters would be nice too.

I don't think you need any non-timer version. The archive is there for people to play more.

Some suggestions people have made around being able to shuffle or place letters - maybe. But the game is pretty perfect as it is.

1. Yes, hints, like maybe the position of a random letter, then another, etc. The game could allow you to "buy" more letters with your existing score (and maybe an initial amount: everyone starts at, say, 36?)

2. Yes being able to continue would be great, it's frustrating that the game just stops.

Great work anyway!

I like the timer but just give the option - play with timer (pro), play without timer (relax). split the results as well.

1. You can have a button for both.

2. Yes

3. I got stuck and couldn't get past RILGUN -- it'd be nice to know what the word you were going for actually was.

As someone who definitely gets worked up when there’s a timer (still got all 18; top 1% really? Might be good to show a rough number of total players), I don’t really get it without a timer.

I am with the people asking for a scramble/ shuffle button. I have to do anagrams all the time in cryptic crosswords and sometimes it requires seeing things in a totally different order to unlock the answer.

1. I'd prefer to reveal letters ... each press of the hint button reveals the position of one random letter.

2. I don't have a preference.

Very cool and well done.

I'd like more common words?

"Baith" is incredibly esoteric.

I'd probably rather it just tell me the answer and give the option to continue :)

2. Yes! Allow continue for no score after timeout

Careful taking advice from nerds over-complicating things, it's beautiful as-is. Maybe have it be 7s per letter instead of a fixed 30s.

Those are all good options.

Also a version in which your unused time is accumulated for future rounds would be interesting

The timer is OK, IMHO, but longer words should give you more time to guess. Makes little sense to give people 30 seconds to guess both a four-letter and a seven-letter word.

That would also let you scale to any arbitrary word length.

Do something so you don't lose on time while "typing" the solution!

Adding a second for each letter you type is a crude version.

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