In my decades as an editor and designer working on TTRPGs, only about 10-20% of the puzzles in manuscripts I’ve received have been well designed. Here are reasons a given puzzle might be problematic.
1. If it is more a challenge for the players than their characters
2. If the adventure comes to a screeching halt when players can’t figure it out
3. If the rest of the adventure is gated behind the puzzle
4. If it is done “theater of the mind,” without visual aids
5. If it requires the players to think exactly like the designer does
6. If the writing is vague, fuzzy, or otherwise imprecise
7. If there is no alternative way to get past it, such as a skill test
8. If there are multiple possible solutions, but the puzzle only accepts one of them
9. If the puzzle is particularly taxing on players with disabilities
10. If the puzzle demands a perfect memory on the part of the players
Did I miss any?
My advice is to ask multiple other people, ideally people who aren’t puzzle enthusiasts, to try and solve the puzzle before you submit it as part of a manuscript. If they express concerns, believe them and rework the puzzle.
Eytan Bernstein: Author, Editor, & Game Designer 
Leave a comment