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

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

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.