Show HN: My 70 year old grandma is learning to code and made a word game

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A simple browser-based word game, presented as the work of a 70‑year‑old learning to code, drew praise for its clever binary-search-style mechanic, replayability, and clean, well-commented JavaScript. Players shared bug reports, feature ideas such as hints and difficulty tiers, and even automated solvers that exploit the public dictionary to guess the word efficiently. At the same time, several commenters questioned the authenticity of the “grandma” backstory, pointing to hosting choices, source code patterns, and coordinated promotion as signs it might be a contrived or AI-assisted viral project.

Overall reception

  • Many find the game simple, charming, and surprisingly compelling.
  • Several report it’s “harder than it looks,” but satisfying once solved.
  • People praise the clear, well-commented JavaScript and lack of build complexity.

Gameplay, difficulty, and strategies

  • Core mechanic is essentially a binary search over an ordered dictionary; many players explicitly use that strategy.
  • Guess counts reported range from 3–25; several note high luck in very low guess counts.
  • Some feel the game can become frustrating/asymptotic when stuck with little extra feedback.
  • Multiple requests for:
    • A hint system or “give up” button.
    • Showing word length or letters “locked in.”
    • Optional scoring and buying hints with points.

Word list and content

  • Several comments say the dictionary includes obscure words, making guessing difficult without an external word list.
  • Suggestions include:
    • Themed categories (e.g., colors, fruits) with adjustable difficulty.
    • Shorter fixed word lengths, more like Wordle.
  • Some users note specific missing or misspelled words and confusion about dictionary inclusion.

Bugs and UX issues

  • Reports of incorrect or inconsistent alphabetical ordering; bad guesses may not be fully resorted, which can “break” the logic.
  • Mixed reports about mobile support; it works for some phones/browsers and fails for others.
  • Safari “Share score” button reportedly lacks a copy option; comparisons made to other games’ share behavior.
  • Minor textbox/keyboard glitches are reported on iPhone.

Code, tooling, and analytics

  • Readers enjoy inspecting the unminified JS and comments, noting beginner-like style but also thoughtful touches (saved games, daily word list).
  • The site uses a large dictionary file and Cloudflare analytics; some discuss deployment choices.

Solvers, spoilers, and automation

  • Multiple users build Python/JavaScript binary-search solvers using the public dictionary.js and page DOM.
  • Some post explicit daily answers and the future word list, which others criticize as spoiling the game.

Authenticity and controversy

  • A significant subthread questions whether the “70-year-old grandma learning to code” story is genuine.
  • Skeptics cite cross-posting patterns, Reddit bans, code style, and promotional behavior; others counter that older beginners can be capable or assisted.
  • End goal of the promotion (ads, virality, sale) is debated and remains unclear.