{
  "id": 17336135,
  "title": "Revealing a path one cell at a time: a small UI pattern that makes puzzle solvers teach instead of spoil",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/revealing-a-path-one-cell-at-a-time-a-small-ui-pattern-that-makes",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-31T04:20:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/dolaiart/revealing-a-path-one-cell-at-a-time-a-small-ui-pattern-that-makes-puzzle-solvers-teach-instead-of-16fb"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The article discusses a UI pattern called \"path-reveal interface\" that helps puzzle solvers learn from their mistakes instead of just being given the solution. Traditional answer sites usually show a screenshot of the finished solution, which doesn't help users identify where they went wrong or unsee the answer if they were only halfway through the puzzle. The path-reveal interface solves this issue by allowing users to unlock cells one at a time, revealing the path as they go. The interface only requires a single integer (how many steps are visible) and a cell index to keep track of the state, making it simple and efficient to implement. The path-reveal interface not only helps users learn from their mistakes but also doubles as an undo feature when they accidentally reveal the wrong cell. The cost of implementing this pattern is minimal, requiring only a small amount of client-side JavaScript and a CSS grid for mobile devices. The article provides an example of how this pattern is used on LinkedIn's daily Zip puzzle and other games, as well as a free practice mode that generates fresh 6x6 layouts.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}