In recent weeks, we’ve been improving the intuitiveness of our daily secret word game by adjusting and rethinking the metrics and graphics that guide a particular hunt. Below, you can see before-and-after examples that illustrate our latest innovations…

New secret word game proximity metrics

We now use only one proximity scale to measure how distant (or near!) a particular guess is from the day’s secret word. On our scale, the secret word is #1, and everything else is ranked by its distance from #1… out to >100,000! We’ve also red-flagged guesses that occur in the top 1000 words.

Below, you can see the prior format, in which words were ranked on a proximity scale of -100 to +100, with 100 being the secret word. But that format, as designed in the original code behind SecretWord, includes a second “closeness” metric, in which the top 1000 words are ranked, with the top word being #1000… and flagged in green. Kinda confusing!

New secret word game graph

In parallel with the new proximity metrics, we’ve also changed how we display the progress of a particular hunt. First, we’ve using the logarithmic proximity scaling indicated above. Second, we’ve moved towards a uniform color scheme to reflect proximity with intensifying reds. The top graph is our current. The one below it is what we were using in early June.

Let us know what you think! Write team@secretword.com.

And check out our tips for playing SecretWord.