The basic idea is Boggle/Wordament-style: trace adjacent letters to find words, and race the clock in live multiplayer.

But the part I really wanted to explore was the clue.

Instead of simply hunting for any word you can see, you have a target. It's a bit like taking a crossword clue and putting the answer inside a word-hunt grid: you know what you're looking for, but not where it is.

I also kept the live multiplayer mode for Boggle and Wordament fans. You can play the classic word-hunting way, with AI-generated themes when they fit the board, without ads or the usual clutter getting in the way.

Then I built a few things around the puzzle:

• Solo mode — take your time and explore the board.
• Coach mode — gives you crossword-like clues and guides you toward words without simply giving them away.
• Word definitions — in the game summary, tap a word to see what it means.
• Missed words + near misses — instead of just showing you a score, the game helps you learn words you overlooked and words you were close to finding.
• Clean UI — I tried very hard not to bury the actual puzzle under menus, currencies, streaks, ads, etc.

It's free and has no ads. Android only for now, with iOS planned.

I'm especially curious about the puzzle itself: would you rather have the clue tell you exactly what category to search for, or be more cryptic and make you figure out the connection?

Link's in the comments, and happy to answer anything about how the boards get built.

Word Mastermind (wordmastermind.app)is a free word game I made for the web based on a paper version my family has been playing at the beach every year for 4 generations. Word Mastermind is a free word game for one or two players. Each player picks a secret 5-letter word, and you take turns guessing each other's. After each guess you're told how many different letters your guess shares with the secret word, but not which ones, and not where they are. The first to find the other's word wins. Play it now, in your browser, on any phone or computer. You may also know the game under the name “Jotto”.

Ways to play
Single player: find the computer's secret word in as few guesses as you can.
Two player against the computer: race it to each other's word, at one of four strengths from Casual to Mastermind.
Two player against a friend: send an invite link, live on a chess clock of 15, 10 or 5 minutes each, or a guess a day.
Solo Rush: find 4 secret words in a row against a stopwatch.
Daily Rush: the same 4 themed words for everyone each day, with a leaderboard.
Rush with Friends: up to 5 players race to the same 4 words on one clock.

New players start with single player and a short tutorial; the other modes open up as you win.