Computer algorithms can churn out thousands of puzzles per minute. So why do we insist on working with human puzzle designers?
The answer lies in the solving experience.
Our Design Process
Every Stars puzzle starts with a human designer who crafts each grid by hand. But we don't stop there. Each puzzle gets tested by at least one different person before reaching you. We then run it through an algorithmic solver to confirm there's exactly one solution and get a preliminary difficulty rating. The human tester makes the final call on difficulty.
Of course, what's tricky for one solver might click immediately for another. Maybe you haven't mastered a particular technique yet, or perhaps you spot the key insight right away. That's the beauty of human variation.
The Designer's Wink
Here's where human creativity shines. Computer-generated puzzles focus purely on mathematical constraints. Human designers? They add personality.
You might work through a puzzle wondering why certain regions feel oddly shaped, only to realize halfway through that you're revealing a hidden heart or butterfly. Has anyone noticed that our Stars tutorial puzzle has a #1 (and 2) embedded in it? Perfect for your first puzzle! These moments feel like a knowing wink from the designer, a small surprise tucked into the logical framework.
Take this practice puzzle filled with L-shaped regions. The designer is teaching you about L-shapes, reinforcing the concept over and over until it clicks. Or consider this recent puzzle where once you figure out how to handle a larger geometric shape, the designer introduces the same shape reflected, then rotated, then again and again. But you don't realize this pattern at the start—you're deep in your solve when you suddenly think, "Wait, is that another...?"
The Grind vs The Journey
Computer algorithms excel at creating valid puzzles, but they often feel like a grind. You're presented with constraints and left to bash through them systematically. There's rarely a clear solving path or elegant breakthrough moment.
Human-designed puzzles tell a story. They guide you through a series of discoveries, each revelation setting up the next. When you place that crucial star and suddenly see three more logical placements cascade from it, that's intentional design at work.
Crafted, Not Generated
We believe puzzles should feel crafted, not manufactured. Each one represents dozens of design decisions: which regions to emphasize, where to place the trickiest logic, how to balance difficulty across the grid.
It takes longer than computer generation. It costs more. But when you experience that perfect "aha!" moment, you'll understand why we think the human touch makes all the difference.
Ready to experience the difference yourself? Try today's puzzles and see if you can spot the designer's intentional touches.
