Crafting the Perfect Puzzle: James Sinclair on Handcrafted, Variant Sudoku
James Sinclair shares his remarkable journey from immigration lawyer to full-time puzzle crafter and creator of the Artisanal Sudoku Substack—a haven for lovers of elegant, human-made Sudoku variants.In this episode, James breaks down his puzzle design philosophy, his preference for handcrafted logic over AI generation, and how he’s turned personal passion into a growing newsletter, a community of solvers, and a published puzzle book. The conversation covers everything from the joys and challenges of variant Sudoku to the deeper question: What makes a puzzle satisfying to solve?James also shares thoughts on monetization, platform choice, audience building, and why central hubs like Logic Masters Germany play a key role in the global puzzle scene. Plus, he previews Sudoku Con, talks about the fog-based puzzle design he’s experimenting with, and gives rapid-fire takes on puzzle pet peeves, dream collaborations, and favorite solves.🧩 Games, Platforms & Influences MentionedVariant Sudoku – His main craftArtisanal Sudoku – James’s Substack newsletterLogic Masters Germany (LMG) – Puzzle publishing hubCracking the Cryptic – Popular YouTube channel mentionedSudoku Con – Community eventDynamic Fog puzzles – One of James’s current experimentsAI-generated puzzles – Discussed critically🌐 Websites & Platforms MentionedWebsite: https://artisanalsudoku.substack.com/https://substack.com/@artisanalsudoku--(00:00) - Introduction and Guest Background
(01:13) - James Sinclair's Favorite Games
(02:26) - Discovering Sudoku
(05:04) - Exploring Variant Sudoku
(08:53) - Starting Artisanal Sudoku
(18:09) - Creating and Publishing Puzzles
(22:12) - Choosing Substack and Growing an Audience
(27:24) - Creating Puzzles for the Newsletter
(28:14) - Logic Master Stot Land: A Puzzle Haven
(29:21) - The Need for a Central Puzzle Platform
(31:40) - Marketing Strategies for Substack
(33:09) - The Journey to Publishing a Sudoku Book
(38:53) - AI and Handcrafted Puzzles
(46:11) - Sudoku Con and Community Events
(47:35) - Rapid Fire Questions and Puzzle Preferences
(50:15) - Dynamic Fog Puzzles and Final Thoughts
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
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32 Wordles?! Bryan Chen on Building Duotrigordle
Bryan Chen joins Nate Kadlac and Aaron Kardell on Hey, Good Game to unravel how a simple coding side project exploded into Duotrigordle, the 32-Wordle brain buster beloved by millions.A computer science student at the University of Waterloo, Bryan walks us through his programming journey from C# exercises in grade school to building viral games during online college lockdowns. The episode explores how Duotrigordle evolved from a dorm-room Discord link into one of the most beloved—and chaotic—Wordle spinoffs online.The trio discusses Bryan’s inspirations (from Waffle to Magic: The Gathering), why he values intuitive UX over flashy features, and how he’s balancing indie game maintenance with his academic and career goals. Bryan also opens up about monetization, treating side projects as portfolio pieces, and the emotional payoff of seeing friends unknowingly become fans of his work.Favorite Games Mentioned by Bryan ChenMagic: The Gathering – His all-time favoriteWordle – Foundational inspirationOctordle / Quordle – Multi-board Wordle influencesWaffle – Admired for clean design and visual polishLeague of Legends – Used its API as a test projectTetris (AI bot project) – As a personal dev exercise🔗 Find Bryan Chen onlineGame: https://duotrigordle.org/Website: https://thesilican.com/GitHub & side projects linked on his website--(00:00) - Introduction and Welcome
(00:00) - Going Viral: The Unexpected Success
(00:29) - Meet Bryan Chen: Creator of Duotrigordle
(01:31) - Bryan's Gaming Journey
(01:49) - Magic: The Gathering and Board Games
(06:31) - Early Interest in Software Development
(08:49) - The Birth of Duotrigordle
(16:35) - Iterating and Improving the Game
(22:50) - Monetization and Motivations
(38:33) - Future Projects and Advice for Creators
(42:14) - Conclusion and Farewell
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
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From Bingo Nights to Daily Puzzles: The Story of Silly Little Games
Angela Swain and Mariam Mollaghaffari join Aaron Kardell on Hey, Good Game to share how two longtime friends turned a nostalgic obsession with wordplay into Silly Little Games—a vibrant, human-crafted daily puzzle experience.Angela (a flight attendant with a journalism background) and Mariam (an architect with design chops) break down the collaborative, scrappy spirit behind their Rebus-style puzzle game Silly Little Codes. From hand-drawing hundreds of clever puzzles in Figma to battling bad developers and solving design challenges (including a keyboard that nearly derailed their launch), the duo talks candidly about their indie journey—complete with frog-fueled editing fights and dream expansions into physical card games.The episode explores how Angela and Mariam are navigating indie game development without coding skills, what they've learned from BlueSky and social media outreach, and why they’ve stayed committed to handcrafted design in an AI-saturated market. They also tease upcoming games under the Silly Little Games umbrella and share honest insights about self-funding, monetization plans, and growing a community of puzzle lovers.🧩 Games & Favorites MentionedSilly Little Codes (Angela & Mariam's daily puzzle game)Backgammon (Mariam’s nostalgic favorite, tied to her Iranian heritage)Bingo and Spoons (Angela’s family-friendly picks)Architecture as Tetris (Mariam compares architectural design to the game)🔗 Website & SocialsWebsite: https://www.playsillylittlegames.comInstagram, Threads, TikTok, BlueSky: @playsillylittlegamesNote: Not on Reddit (permanently banned 😅)--(00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast and Guests
(01:42) - Favorite Games and Nostalgic Memories
(05:09) - The Origin Story of Angela and Mariam's Friendship
(07:47) - Creating Silly Little Games: The Initial Idea
(11:57) - Designing and Collaborating on Puzzles
(30:44) - Challenges in Developing the Digital Game
(32:32) - Starting Over: The Struggles of Development
(33:16) - Keyboard Woes: A Major Setback
(34:29) - Finding the Right Developer
(35:24) - Balancing Passion and Practicality
(40:29) - Monetization and Future Plans
(50:27) - Challenges with Social Media and Promotion
(01:03:17) - Looking Ahead: New Games and Growth
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
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1:07:33
When Pixel Art Tells a Spooky Story
From Haunted Pixels to Conservation: Peter Lazarski on Art, Accessibility, and Indie Game GritIndie developer and visual artist Peter Lazarski—aka Imaginary Monsters—joins Nate to explore his creative evolution from childhood horror obsessions to crafting cult-favorite lo-fi games like Halloween Forever and Deathstate. Known for his pixelated gothic aesthetic and offbeat charm, Peter shares how games like Earthbound shaped his visual language and love for physical editions.The conversation touches on Peter’s iterative design process, how he blends art with mechanics, and why accessibility and emotional tone matter in indie games. He also unpacks the ethos behind his newest project, Don’t Kill the Bats—a whimsical but meaningful game raising awareness for bat conservation.Peter reflects on developing under an alias, building community through mentorship, and finding creative purpose in strange, spooky spaces.Check out Peter's Resources:https://imaginarymonsters.comhttps://imaginarymonsters.shop https://twitch.tv/imaginarymonsters https://discord.gg/imaginarymonsters 🎮 Favorite Games Mentioned:EarthBound (SNES) – Peter’s all-time favoriteTactics Ogre (Re-release) – Currently playingPersona 5 – Currently playingF-Zero, Super Mario World – Childhood favoritesCommander Keen, DOOM, Wolfenstein – Early PC gamingMonster Party (NES) – Referenced for sprite interpretationMetroid II (Game Boy) – Admired for its enemy art in the manualAyuda Mort – ZX Spectrum-style indie game that influenced Halloween ForeverCastlevania – Referenced as a typical “bat enemy” gameSplatterhouse – Mentioned as a game style he’d love to tryRolling Stock – Mentioned earlier as a favorite (possibly in a different episode or cut)--(00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
(01:41) - Peter Lazarski's Gaming Preferences
(02:15) - Early Gaming Influences and Inspirations
(04:42) - The Impact of Earthbound and Physical Game Editions
(13:36) - The Evolution of Halloween Forever
(18:04) - Challenges and Iterative Development
(23:56) - Art and Mechanics in Game Design
(26:44) - Nostalgia and Artistic Style
(28:59) - Visual Exploration and Prototyping
(30:36) - The Evolution of Imaginary Monsters
(33:14) - Navigating the Alias
(39:48) - Community and Mentorship
(43:54) - Design Philosophy and Accessibility
(48:38) - Introducing 'Don't Kill the Bats'
(50:54) - Connecting with Imaginary Monsters
(52:21) - Conclusion and Farewell
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
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Life in 60 Seconds: Michael Frei’s ‘Time Flies’
Award-winning artist, animator, and game designer Michael Frei joins Nate and Joseph to share his creative journey from apprentice construction draftsman to co-founder of Zurich’s Playable, the indie studio behind critically acclaimed interactive works like Plug & Play, Kids, and the meditative mortality sim Time Flies.Michael breaks down his minimalist approach to game design—how stripping away noise can lead to emotional clarity—and explains why humor, absurdity, and interaction are central to his artistic voice. He reflects on transitioning from animation to games, his fascination with weird player dynamics, and why making something personally meaningful matters more than chasing trends.Frei also shares lessons from testing, iterating, and publishing across platforms, as well as advice for aspiring indie creators navigating simplicity, success, and staying creatively grounded in a crowded market.Check out Michael Frei's Resources:https://michaelfrei.io/https://x.com/panichttps://bsky.app/profile/michaelfrei.iohttps://www.instagram.com/michaelfrei10/Games Mentioned:FIFA - Michael's favorite game to playGliderNot About UsPlug and PlayTime FliesWindowsillFeet Ahead--(00:00) - Introduction to the Podcast
(00:22) - Meet Michael Frei: The Minimalist Game Designer
(01:11) - Michael's Gaming Preferences and FIFA
(02:45) - The Origin of 'Time Flies'
(04:42) - Early Inspirations and Programming
(06:04) - From Construction Draftsman to Animation
(08:49) - Transition to Interactive Art and Games
(14:20) - Principles of Minimalist Game Design
(15:55) - Animation Style and Player Interaction
(18:12) - Defining Success and Monetization in Games
(21:22) - User Testing and Feedback
(22:51) - The Iterative Process of Animation
(23:11) - The Creative Journey Behind 'Cars'
(25:13) - Designing for Different Consoles
(27:59) - Advice for Aspiring Indie Game Developers
(30:26) - The Art of Drafting and Line Art
(34:01) - Inspiration and Influences
(40:38) - The Making of 'Time Flies'
(43:13) - Where to Find More About the Creator
--Check out our brainy games:Sumplete - https://sumplete.comSqueezy - https://imsqueezy.com/Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.comMathler - https://mathler.comCrosswordle - https://crosswordle.comSudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.comHitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.comWordga - https://wordga.com
Hey, Good Game explores the stories behind your favorite brainy games. Each week, we interview game creators and dig into what it takes to build a successful indie game, how to monetize, and how to get traction.
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