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Abhilasha Swaroop

Word Ladder Puzzle Game

A playful word puzzle built through rapid prototyping and iterative design

Pink Poppy Flowers

Overview

Word Ladder is a browser-based word puzzle where players transform one word into another by changing a single letter at a time. What started as a quick vibe coding experiment evolved into a polished, delightful game experience through thoughtful iteration.

Role: Solo Developer & Designer

Tools: Google AI Studio, HTML/CSS/JavaScript

Timeline: 2 prototypes, ongoing refinement

The Challenge
 
Create an engaging word game that's:
 

  • Simple enough to understand immediately
     

  • Challenging enough to be satisfying
     

  • Polished enough to feel professional
     

  • Fun enough to keep players coming back

Prototype 1: Making It Work
 
I started with a vibe coding session in Google AI Studio, focusing purely on functionality. The core mechanic came together quickly: start with one word, reach the goal word by changing one letter at a time.
 
What I built:
 

  • Core game logic for word validation

  • Basic hint system

  • Functional UI to test the mechanics
     

What I learned:
 

  • The hint system sometimes suggested invalid moves (two-letter changes or non-words)

  • The UI worked, but lacked personality

  • The core concept was solid and worth refining

Pink Poppy Flowers
Pink Poppy Flowers

Prototype 2: Making It Delightful
 

With proven mechanics, I shifted focus to user experience and visual polish. This meant lots of iteration on the details that make games feel good to play.
 

Key improvements:
 

  • Shake animation when players enter invalid words (immediate, playful feedback)

  • Confetti celebration when puzzles are solved (rewarding moment of delight)

  • Landing page with clear instructions and an example walkthrough for first-time players

  • Multiple UI iterations exploring different color palettes and layouts to find the right feel
     

Design philosophy: I wanted every interaction to feel responsive and alive. Wrong answers shouldn't feel punishing, just a gentle "nope, try again!" And solving puzzles should feel like a genuine accomplishment worth celebrating.

Pink Poppy Flowers

Technical Highlights
 

  • Smart validation logic that checks both dictionary validity and the one-letter-change rule
     

  • Hint generation system that suggests valid next moves (currently being refined for 100% accuracy)
     

  • Smooth animations using CSS transitions and JavaScript for shake and confetti effects
     

  • Responsive design that works across devices

What I'm Working On Next
 

  • Improving hint accuracy: Ensuring the hint system only suggests valid one-letter transitions
     

  • UI refinement: Continuing to polish the visual design and add more personality
     

  • Additional features: Exploring difficulty levels, daily puzzles, and sharing completed puzzles

Google AI Studio, Gemini, Claude.

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