Under-Six

Inspiration

I wanted to build a game that felt native to Reddit instead of just being a web app placed inside Reddit. The idea behind Under-Six came from simple word association games: start with one word, reach another, and see how clever your path can be.

The hook is easy to understand immediately: can you connect two words in six related links or fewer?

What it does

Under-Six is a daily Reddit word-chain puzzle game. Each puzzle gives players a starting word and a target word. Players enter related words one by one, trying to reach the target before running out of links.

The app includes:

• Daily puzzle posts
• A six-link limit
• Win and or try again
• Leaderboards
• Puzzle creation flow
• How-to-play screen
• Moderator tools for creating and automating daily posts

How we built it

I built Under-Six as a Devvit app using React for the frontend and Devvit server routes for backend logic.

The backend manages:

• Daily puzzle selection
• Puzzle validation
• Player runs
• Leaderboard scoring
• Moderator-created puzzle proposals
• Automated daily Reddit posts

The frontend was rebuilt from scratch with a dark cyan visual identity, optimized for Reddit’s embedded app experience.

Challenges

The biggest challenge was making the experience feel good inside Reddit’s limited viewport. I had to repeatedly refine spacing, mobile and tablet layouts, path node sizing, and result screens so the game did not feel cramped or require unnecessary scrolling.

Another challenge was balancing puzzle difficulty. The paths needed to be simple enough for daily play, but still interesting enough to reward creative thinking.

Accomplishments

I’m proud that Under-Six feels like a real Reddit-native game loop:

• A new puzzle can appear every day automatically.
• Players can compete on short paths.
• Moderators can create or automate daily posts
• The UI feels focused, fun and game-like without being overcomplicated.

What I learned

I learned a lot about designing inside the Reddit ecosystem, especially how important it is to build around posts, moderators, daily participation, and quick social interaction.

I also learned how much polish matters for puzzle games. Small details like spacing, node layout, and result feedback can completely change how playable the game feels.

What’s next

Next, I want to expand the puzzle library, add stronger moderation tools for community-submitted puzzles, and improve ranking so players can compete across daily, weekly, and all-time leaderboards.

Built With

• css
• devvit
• hono
• html
• javascript
• node.js
• react
• reddit
• redis
• typescript
• vite