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Show HN: Bracket City – A daily, exploded (?) crossword puzzle

(bracket.city)
109 points brgross | 1 comments | 24 Feb 25 15:20 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source

Hi hn - I co-own a diner where I co-host a puzzle night that is kind of like a diner-themed escape room. At the last one, I made a puzzle that was crossword-like clues nested in brackets. People at the diner seemed to like it, so I resolved to make it a real game and Bracket City was born: https://bracket.city.

I love crosswords, so it's been fun to write crossword-like clues:

  [it contains MSG]
as well as clues that would not make it into a crossword:

  [___ <=== you ===> hard place]
I write all the puzzles and post a new one at midnight ET every day of the week.

Still working on a lot of features/fixes. I'm aware that scoring based on keystrokes is pretty unfair, especially given not-ideal custom keyboard on mobile! Still thinking through the best solution there.

Also fun fact: if you sign up for the email list, you get a special "Word of the Day" email written by James Somers (of https://jsomers.net). The only way to sign up for the email list is to finish a puzzle!

**

(answer key: NYC, ROCK)

Show context
johnfn ◴[24 Feb 25 18:16 UTC] No.43162865[source]▶
This is very cool. My only complaint is I should be able to go up a level. e.g. I saw "unwelcome in a China shop" and instantly knew it was "bull" but still had to work through a few more clues before I got there.
replies(2): >>43162926 #>>43164399 #
brgross ◴[24 Feb 25 18:21 UTC] No.43162926[source]▶
have gone back and forth on this point -- so far I've decided that outer brackets should be a hint that guides on you inner brackets, but that you can't skip any clues

but I hear you!

replies(5): >>43163045 #>>43165216 #>>43165713 #>>43166177 #>>43168405 #
1. mckn1ght ◴[24 Feb 25 21:36 UTC] No.43165216[source]▶
I used the context as part of the clue in that way. I like it that way and don’t think it should change.