THE WORDPLAY NOTEBOOK

Find your way
through the pyramid.

A few small habits make the connections easier to see.

Start with the most flexible words

Words such as “house,” “light,” and “work” can form many compounds. List their possible partners in your head before placing them. Interior tiles touch more neighbors than corner tiles, so flexible words often earn a place in the middle.

Look beyond the obvious pair

“Tea” and “time” make a good pair, but choosing that link is only useful if each tile also connects to its other neighbors. Work through little groups of three before committing to the whole pyramid.

Read in both directions

“Day” below “light” still makes daylight. When a pair seems wrong, try the other order before moving on. In Pyraphemes, keep each fragment intact: “port” and “re” can become report.

Use the shape

The two lower corners each touch one tile. The middle of the pyramid is more demanding. Put narrow, specific words toward the edges and try versatile fragments in the center.

Make checks informative

You have four checks, so avoid spending one immediately after every swap. Arrange several promising links, then check the whole structure. Green connections are clues, but you can move those tiles if another arrangement fits better.

Take a fresh look

If everything starts to look alike, pause for a moment. There is no time limit. Your progress saves in your browser, and a hint can reveal one useful position when you come back.

Put it into practice