Washington Post's Keyword

One word to spell 'em all

2023

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Game design

Brand Identity

Strategy

A unique word game where players spell a horizontal secret word using 6 missing letters from 6 vertical words. Scoring is based on the number of guesses per missing letter, with a "perfect" trophy for 6 correct guesses in a row. Three perfect scores in a week unlock a secret bonus level.

Since launch, the game continues to grow, gaining millions of players a year, making Keyword one of the most popular games on the Washington Post platform.

Process overview

Conducted market research to understand trends and opportunities in word games.
Created rough sketches and wireframes of game interface and user experience.
Gathered feedback from stakeholders at the Washington Post for alignment with brand and audience.
Developed a playable prototype for internal testing.
Organized testing sessions with Washington Post staff and selected internal users.
Implemented changes and released a beta version to a select group of external users.
Made final adjustments to gameplay, interface, and scoring system based on beta testing results.
Transferred Figma designs to Zeplin for final designs, annotations, flow, and assets.
Coordinated with development to add finishing animations and other final refinements
Coordinated with marketing teams for promotion and user acquisition strategies.

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"Our readers have embraced the expanding portfolio of interactive games with a surge in user engagement. In the past year alone, our user play rate has grown by 70 percent. It is our mission to serve our readers and part of that is providing a range of offerings outside the boundaries of conventional news products. Keyword is the next endeavor to ensure that our readers continue to find new and exciting ways to engage with The Post.”

Jessica Gilbert

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Head of Product & Design

Jessica Gilbert

Head of Product & Design