Heidi Erwin

What: I led game design and built early prototypes for this daily puzzle game, which launched in Beta on March 4th, 2024, and has since been added to NYT's porfolio of puzzle games. I also contributed to and edited content for the game, including writing clues and word lists, laying out boards, and working closely with Tracy Bennett, the Strands editor, to deliver puzzles at a daily cadence.
When: 2023 - 2024
Skills: Game Design, Prototyping, Puzzle Content Creation, JavaScript, Figma

Overview

Read about the inception of Strands here.

I also shared some Strands tips and tricks in this article.

Or, check out Ian Bogost calling Strands "genius" here. ;)

Play Strands here.

Puzzle Creation

This section is a work in progress. As they say, I'm just a girl.

Unsolved Strands puzzle with the clue 'Rulers Decree.'

Solved Strands puzzle with the clue 'Rulers Decree.'

End screen of 'Rulers Decree' Strands puzzle.

Congrats modal of a Strands puzzle with the clue 'This is where I draw the line.'

Easter Eggs and Fun Stuff

Here's a board I made for my friend Aaron Gruen, who is running superstar and coached me when I was training for my first marathon. And the process behind me slipping his name into the puzzle while avoiding the possibility of theme words being able to be constructed multiple ways.

Here's a video where I talk about Strands tips and tricks, edited by the NYT Social team.

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Sandra Honigman (Project Manager), Devin Lizardi (Software Engineer), and I gave a talk on the inception and development of Strands at the Game Devs of Color Expo in 2024.

Thank you!

I believe Strands has achieved what we hoped it would, bringing players an elevated word search experience. I found myself watching people play Strands online throughout the beta, and it brought me a lot of joy to witness the excitement, celebration, and frustration, around this game. If you're a Strands player reading this now, thank you for playing.