Puzzles platform
To enhance the puzzle experience for our audience, we developed a brand-new puzzle website and mobile application, introducing key features designed to boost engagement and long-term player retention. The platform was built to provide seamless access to all puzzles while incorporating gamification elements that encouraged daily play and subscriber growth.
- Telegraph Puzzles
Key features & enhancements
- Puzzle Archive: A comprehensive archive allowing users to access and play past puzzles at any time, removing the frustration of missing daily challenges.
- Achievements & Rewards: A structured achievement system rewarding players for milestones such as completing multiple puzzles, maintaining streaks, or solving harder challenges.
- Daily Streaks: A feature encouraging daily engagement, where players are incentivised to solve puzzles consistently to build and maintain their streaks.
- Cross-Platform Play: A seamless experience between the website and mobile application, allowing users to continue their progress across devices online and offline.
Research
Through extensive user feedback, analytics, and competitive analysis, we identified essential improvements that would elevate the puzzle experience. Players expressed a desire for better accessibility, tracking features, and incentives to play regularly. Key feedback included: “I want to revisit past puzzles easily,” and “I'd love rewards and streaks to keep me motivated.”
Player personas
Our audience included casual solvers who wanted a simple, user-friendly interface, dedicated players looking for ways to track progress, and competitive users interested in leaderboards and achievements. These insights helped shape the new features and overall design approach.
Site map
To create a cohesive user journey, we developed a structured site map outlining key pages and navigation flows. The main sections include:
- Landing page: Entry point featuring highlights, latest puzzles, and easy navigation.
- Section pages: Dedicated section for various puzzles.
- Game page: The main interface for playing puzzles, with interactive elements and tools.
- Completion screen: A post-game screen displaying player results, achievements unlocked, and sharing.
- FAQ page: A help section addressing common questions and troubleshooting.
- Achievements page: A dashboard showcasing player progress, streaks, and earned rewards.
Wireframes
To ensure a seamless user experience, we developed detailed wireframes and prototypes that outlined the core functionality of the platform. Early-stage sketches focused on simplifying navigation, ensuring puzzle accessibility, and integrating gamification elements cohesively. Usability testing of interactive prototypes provided valuable insights, leading to enhancements in layout, responsiveness, and overall engagement.
Visual design
The interface was designed with clarity, simplicity, and ease of navigation in mind. The puzzle archive was built with an intuitive filtering system, while achievements and streaks were visually rewarding, using animations and celebratory UI elements to enhance player motivation.
Outcome
The launch of the new puzzle platform resulted in a dramatic increase in player engagement and subscription growth. The number of subscribers doubled, growing from 50k to over 100k, making the puzzle platform one of The Telegraph's most successful digital offerings. Retention rates soared as players consistently returned to maintain streaks, earn achievements, and explore the extensive puzzle archive. This transformation cemented The Telegraph's reputation as a premier destination for puzzle enthusiasts.