A guide to community puzzles
What are community puzzles?
Community puzzles are Pokémon Connections puzzles made by players. Each one has 16 Pokémon to sort into four groups of four, just like the daily puzzle, but there is no limit to how many you can play. When you finish one, the next is ready to go.
Community puzzles are separate from the daily game. They never change your streak, your XP or the weekly leaderboard.
- Pokémon per puzzle
- 16
- Mistakes allowed
- 6
- Built-in categories
- 62
- Languages
- 7
How it works
Every community puzzle goes through the same three steps.
- 01
A player makes it
They pick four categories and four Pokémon for each one. The editor only offers Pokémon that fit a single group, so every published puzzle has one answer.
- 02
You solve it
Sort the 16 Pokémon into four groups of four. You can make six mistakes, the same as in the daily puzzle, and each group's category is revealed when you find it.
- 03
You rate it
Like any puzzle you open, and after a real attempt leave the author a private note. Only likes from players who finished the puzzle count toward Hot and Top.
What makes a good puzzle
Use this checklist before you publish. The example puzzle below passes all three.
- One clear answer. Every Pokémon belongs to exactly one group.
- A real red herring: at least one Pokémon that looks like it fits two groups.
- A fair climb from the easiest group to the hardest one.
CharizardRed herring
Vulpix
Arcanine
Magmar
Squirtle
Starmie
GyaradosRed herring
Lapras
Dratini
Dragonair
Dragonite
Garchomp
Articuno
Zapdos
Mewtwo
Lugia
Charizard and Gyarados look like dragons, but neither is Dragon-type: Charizard is Fire and Flying, and Gyarados is Water and Flying. Players who sort by looks fall for it; players who know their types do not.
Difficulty, explained
A puzzle's difficulty comes from how many players solve it: Easy when more than 80% do, Medium from 50% to 80%, Hard from 25% to 50%, and Brutal below 25%. Puzzles with fewer than five finishes are marked New.
| Badge | Players who solve it |
|---|---|
| Easy | > 80% |
| Medium | 50–80% |
| Hard | 25–50% |
| Brutal | < 25% |
| New | Fewer than five finishes so far |
Private notes for the author
After a real attempt you can leave the author a private note: more than one answer, forced category, too easy, too hard, or clever. Only the author sees these notes, so honest feedback never turns into public criticism.
How puzzles are ranked
Hot favours puzzles that a large share of players like, and gives newer puzzles a boost. Top lists puzzles with at least 20 finishes by how often they are liked. New simply shows the latest. Every card shows the real numbers: likes and finished games.
Hot
Puzzles that many players finish and like. Newer puzzles get a head start that fades over a few days.
Top
Puzzles with at least 20 finishes, ordered by the share of players who liked them.
New
The newest puzzles first, so every puzzle gets seen.
FAQ
Are community puzzles free to play?
Yes. Every puzzle is free, and you need neither a download nor an account to play.
Do community puzzles give XP or count for the leaderboard?
No. XP, streaks and the weekly leaderboard only count the official daily puzzles, so community puzzles are just for fun.
Can I like a puzzle I have not finished?
Yes. You can like any puzzle you open, except your own. Only likes from players who finished it (at least three guesses and 20 seconds) count toward Hot and Top.
Can a puzzle be edited after it is published?
No, because changes would scramble the results of people who already played it. Authors take a puzzle down and publish a fixed version instead.
What happens when I report a puzzle?
Reports go to moderators. A puzzle that gets five reports is hidden until it is reviewed.