The purpose-built lexicon that powers our inventive puzzles
We built Qatalog to prioritize gameplay quality over lexical volume. Rather than maximizing completeness, Qatalog is optimized for best puzzle experience, such that our puzzles are approachable, challenging but surmountable, and rewarding to both newcomers and experienced puzzlers.
Qatalog was derived from free and publicly available dictionaries and word lists via a multi-stage curation process that combined automated selection and filtering followed by painstaking human review that evaluated the suitability for inclusion. The words were selected to balance linguistic richness (common usage, vocabulary size, and difficulty) against appropriateness for a general audience.
Qatalog was engineered to optimize gameplay. It has excellent coverage of words ranging from the most commonly used words to words that a proficient, native-level, english speaker is expected to know and wield, and then some more. The lexicon is continuously updated by incorporating insights derived from gameplay analytics with words re-tiered or retired as necessary.
By treating the lexicon as the critical part of puzzle design, we are able to create puzzles that are consistent, skill-based, reward deduction reasoning not just vocabulary size, and capable of sustaining long-term interest and promote mastery.