How I Built My Own Version of the NYT Connections Puzzle — And What I Learned

You might have seen or played the Connections game from the New York Times — where you're given 16 words and have to group them into four hidden categories. It's part logic, part creativity, and surprisingly addictive. I loved the game so much that I decided to make my own version that I could control completely — same gameplay, but with my own words, themes, and features.

This post is a behind-the-scenes look at how I built it. You don’t need to know anything about coding or websites to follow along.

📦 Step 1: Designing the Puzzle System

To build a game that updates daily, I needed a simple way to create and manage new puzzles. I didn’t want to open files, write code, or deal with anything technical every time I wanted to add one.

Instead, I used a system called Payload, which gives me a clean, private dashboard — kind of like the admin panel behind a blog or website. From there, I can log in, click “Create Puzzle,” and just fill out a form.

Each puzzle has:

• A publish date (so I can schedule or organize them by day)
• Four groups of four words each (for example, "Types of Trees" or "Web Browsers")
• A title for each group, which stays hidden until the player solves it

That’s it. I click save, and the puzzle is live on the website — no files, no code, no extra steps. It’s fast, structured, and repeatable — exactly what you want when you're managing a growing list of puzzles.

🖥️ Step 2: Making It Playable Online

Once the puzzles are created, I needed a way for players (including myself!) to actually play them. That’s where the website comes in.

When someone opens a puzzle page, they see 16 words in a grid. The words are mixed up so there are no hints. The goal is to find which four words belong together. You tap four words, then hit a “Check Group” button. If you’re right, those words disappear — and the hidden category name appears in color. If you’re wrong, the grid shakes gently to let you know.

🎨 Step 3: Adding Polish

To make the game feel more friendly and finished, I added:

• Animations for word tiles and feedback (like a shake if you're wrong)
• Color-coded category labels that show up when you solve a group
• A “shuffle” button to mix up the grid if you get stuck

I also added a tracker that shows how many groups you've solved, and a nice message when you finish.

🧠 Why I Made It

I built this project to see how far I could go using ChatGPT as my partner. I didn’t want to just ask for answers — I wanted to build something real, step by step, and see how well ChatGPT could help me design, structure, and polish an entire interactive game.

It wasn’t about copying code. It was about working together — thinking through problems, making design decisions, solving bugs, and even writing content like this post. This puzzle game became a way to test how useful AI could be in a creative, practical project from start to finish.

To see the puzzles click here