A Different Way of Surfing and Winning
Posted: Monday 16 May, 2011
Keredy Andrews
This week I was introduced to a fairly new website – www.nanopuzzle.com – which integrates a puzzle game with a competition and the chance to be introduced to new websites.
I was a little bit confused at first as I’m the type of person who wants a full explanation of how things work and what you have to do but I did get there in the end! When trying to click on the coloured boxes towards the bottom of the homepage (join now for free, your dashboard, play nanopuzzle) I found they were not links at all so I had to head for the rules but these display the competition rules rather than guidance.
I next opted to play the latest game and read that italics denoted anagrams and clues to the answers, although, as I soon found out, when you click forward to see the questions you lose the clues! Therefore, I recommend having two tabs or windows open so you can revert to the clues easily if you need to. The fact that I couldn’t find my way around doesn’t mean much but I would have like to see a clearer navigation structure and perhaps an ‘instructions’ area.
Basically you have questions to answer, each with an anagram within it that needs solving first. You use a ‘click here’ button to open a website in a new tab and this is where the answer to the question can be found; this week’s Nanopuzzle (number ten) took me to three online stores that sell fashion, gadget and audio items. You enter your answers on the Nanopuzzle site and wait until the following Tuesday to see if you have been randomly chosen to win – then play the next weeks game.
I’m not sure I’ll play every week as I may not want the prize or I’ll just forget but it’s one of those things that made me think, ‘hmm, that’s a pretty interesting idea, it doesn’t take long and it’s free to enter’. It’s not the first example of this concept I’m sure but it suits all parties involved –
- Websites where the answers can be found get new visitors and high traffic levels
- Larger brands get their exposure through offering sought after competition prizes
- Entrants are entertained, have the chance to win and may find a new favourite online read or shopping site
Overall it’s quite fun and quick, and I have had a look around the fashion website, so it does present a neat and different way of finding sites that may be of interest to you that isn’t a search engine. Notwithstanding my bungling navigation skills, I felt there were a couple too many clicks along the way; nevertheless, I recommend Nanopuzzle next time you want a five minute break from the norm.
