Heidi Erwin

WHEN: 2023 - 2024

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 contribute to and edit content for the game, including writing clues and word lists, laying out boards, and working closely with Tracy Bennett, the editor of Strands, to deliver puzzles at a daily cadence.

SKILLS: Game Design, Prototyping, Puzzle Content Creation, JavaScript, Figma

Work In Progress

This page has yet to be finished. Stay tuned!

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.

Fun Stuff

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

View this post on Instagram

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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.