Constraint

Inspiration The project was born from a desire to strip word games down to their most frantic essentials. I wanted to move away from slow, meditative puzzles and create a high-stakes "mental sprint" that mimics the pressure of a live game show. My goal was to see how quickly the brain could recall simple vocabulary when the clock is ticking and the rules are tight.

What it does Constraint is a daily, fast-paced word puzzle where players have exactly 60 seconds to find as many 4-letter words as possible that fit a specific rule. I designed a unique scoring system that rewards both word length and remaining time, creating a "speed-run" environment. To keep the stakes high, I set it so users only get one attempt per day.

How I built it I focused on a clean, "mobile-first" interface to ensure the game felt snappy and responsive. I built the core logic to handle rapid-fire text input and real-time validation against a curated dictionary. I also implemented a scoring engine that calculates a Time Bonus for every entry, ensuring that being fast is just as valuable as being accurate.

Challenges I ran into The biggest hurdle was the Strict Validation. I had to carefully curate a word list that was inclusive enough to feel fair but restrictive enough to prevent nonsense entries. Balancing the scoring was also tricky; I had to ensure that the Completion Bonus didn't outweigh the benefits of consistent, fast typing throughout the round.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of I’m particularly proud of the game's "One Chance" flow. Creating a system that feels satisfying in just 60 seconds of daily engagement is a challenge, but the resulting adrenaline rush makes every second count. I also managed to keep the UI minimal so that nothing stands between the player and the daily challenge.

What I learned Building this game taught me that limitations breed creativity. By restricting words to four letters, I actually made the game more accessible and more competitive at the same time. I also learned a lot about the importance of "game feel"...how small details like the countdown timer and sound cues can drastically change a player's stress levels and excitement.

What's next for Constraint Looking to get feedback from users

Built With

• devvit
• gamemaker
• typescript