The PuzzleMoss blog
Notes on puzzle games for people who play them, and on building a game site for people who are thinking of making one. Everything here is written by Juan. For the games themselves, start with the full list.
For monetisation
ads.txt for game websites: what goes in the file, and where
ads.txt for game websites: what each line means, why it is not app-ads.txt, where the file must live, and the static hosting traps that make it fail.
For puzzle fans
Water sort puzzle tips: why the empty tube is the whole game
Water sort puzzle tips that hold in any version: treat the empty tube as your only real resource, finish colours early, and read the pour rule first.
For players
Are puzzle games good for your brain? What the research actually says
Are puzzle games good for your brain? What the big studies of crosswords, sudoku and brain training found, what they did not, and how to read the headlines.
For players
The best free puzzle games to play online right now
Sixteen of the best free puzzle games online, two for each type of puzzle, chosen by a stated rule rather than by hype. No download, no account, no app.
For AI building
How I built a puzzle game site with AI, and what it got wrong
How I built a game site with AI from a written brief: the filters, the numbers, the mistakes the agent made, and the automated checks that caught them.
For site builders
How to add GameMonetize games to your website
How to add GameMonetize games to your website from the free feed: dedupe, decode, filter clones and reskins, load on click and write your own copy.
For players
Mahjong solitaire vs mahjong: what is the difference?
Mahjong solitaire vs mahjong: one is a four-player game of drawing and discarding, the other a solo puzzle of matching pairs. Same tiles, different games.
