Maths Games & Puzzles — current engine inventory and roadmap

This file is the source of truth for the Games & Puzzles roadmap. Historical backlog/release documents are retained only for context.

Current visible engine catalogue

Vocabulary & language

  • Maths Word Search
  • Maths Crossword

Number patterns & structures

  • Number Pyramid
  • Magic Square
  • Arithmagons
  • Magic Shapes
  • Number Trail
  • Number Connections (rule wheels, factor webs and sum/product diamonds)

Arithmetic & calculation

  • Correct-answer Maze
  • Number Property Maze
  • Crossnumber
  • Number Search
  • Arithmetic Equation Crossgrid
  • Target Numbers
  • Broken Calculator
  • Operation Codebreaker
  • Kakuro / Cross Sums
  • Arithmetic Cages / Calcudoku-style cages
  • Sumplete / Cross-Out Sums

Algebra & relationships

  • Symbol Equations
  • Function Machines
  • Equation Repair (engine id remains balance)
  • Word Codes / Alphametics

Number logic & grids

  • Sudoku
  • Futoshiki
  • Nonogram / Number Picture
  • Number Path
  • Number Towers / Skyscrapers
  • Binary Puzzle / Takuzu
  • Killer Sudoku / Sum Sudoku
  • Bridges / Hashi
  • Maths Mines / Hidden Gems

Arithmetic Domino Chain remains hidden from the one-player library. It is a possible future cut-and-match classroom resource, not part of the current pupil puzzle catalogue.

Recent refinement batches

v1.37

  • Fixed Challenge Operation Codebreaker multi-slot rendering.
  • Improved Function Machines and Arithmagons.
  • Added Kakuro 8×8.
  • Added Number Towers / Skyscrapers with verified unique solutions.

v1.38

  • Refined Codebreaker layout.
  • Rebuilt Function Machines as a clean process/flowchart diagram.
  • Added inward-pointing Number Towers clue tabs and cleaned the grid edge rendering.

v1.39

  • Added Binary Puzzle / Takuzu as a deterministic unique-solution engine.
  • Easy = 4×4, Standard = 6×6, Challenge = 8×8 by default.
  • Every accepted Takuzu puzzle is both unique and completable by deterministic Takuzu deductions without guessing.
  • Added a reviewed pupil-instruction layer and canonical wording document.

v1.40

  • Adds Killer Sudoku / Sum Sudoku with 4×4, 6×6 and optional 9×9 grids. Sudoku row/column/box rules and sum-cage constraints are validated together and every accepted puzzle has one solution.
  • Adds Bridges / Hashi with 7-, 10- and 12-island solver-verified layouts. Rotations/reflections provide visual variation while a Hashi solver checks uniqueness.
  • Adds Maths Mines / Hidden Gems with 5×5, 6×6 and 7×7 grids. Clues are removed only while uniqueness remains, then restored as needed until the built-in local-deduction solver can complete the puzzle without guessing.
  • Adds Word Codes / Alphametics using a curated library of meaningful word equations rather than random letter strings. Current templates include TWO + TWO = FOUR, BASE + BALL = GAMES, SEND + MORE = MONEY, CROSS + ROADS = DANGER and FORTY + TEN + TEN = SIXTY.
  • All four engines ship with pupil preview, answer preview, PDF rendering, settings, worked-example data and automated validation.

Curriculum mapping principle

Puzzle engines are mapped conservatively. They are reasoning/fluency resources that exercise curriculum mathematics; they are not presented as replacements for teaching a statutory objective.

The present Games UI still uses broad topics plus a Year 1–6 range for compatibility. This is increasingly coarse compared with the detailed Custom Worksheet catalogue. A planned Games taxonomy refactor should move toward finer teacher-selected strands/subtopics, with year tags retained internally only where they genuinely control mathematical content or vocabulary.

The statutory curriculum itself is organised by both year and mathematical domain, but many puzzle mechanics cut across several years and are better chosen by the exact skill being practised than by a single year label.

Pupil instruction standard

Reviewed instruction wording is maintained in docs/99club/GAME_INSTRUCTIONS.md.

The standard is:

  • start with the pupil action;
  • use short, familiar language;
  • state every rule needed to begin fairly;
  • move hints and strategies into worked examples;
  • keep browser preview and PDF wording aligned.

QA expectation for every game engine

Before an engine is called complete, check Easy/Standard/Challenge where applicable, manual variants, boundary compatibility, pupil preview, answer preview, generated PDF, instruction clarity, mathematical validity and any uniqueness requirement. Maximum grid sizes and dense/long-number cases must be included because they are where clipping and layout drift most often appear.

Future candidates

After the v1.40 batch, the next expansion should be chosen from the remaining distinct mechanics rather than adding near-duplicates. Candidates retained for later evaluation include region sums/number partition, domino placement, honeycomb/hex puzzles, equation loops, factor/prime chains, fraction-match grids and coordinate treasure puzzles.