How to build a Letter Boxed-style word game with Next.js on Vercel

v0
, ,
1

Hey everyone,

I’ve been experimenting with building a word puzzle game inspired by the Letter Boxed concept, and I’m planning to deploy it using Next.js on Vercel. The idea is to create a clean, fast, and interactive experience where users connect letters around a box to form words with some added twists like daily challenges and streak tracking.

Tech Stack

So far, I’m thinking of:

  • Using Next.js (App Router) for the frontend
  • Deploying everything on Vercel for instant previews and scalability
  • Possibly adding Edge Functions for validating words in real-time

From what I’ve seen, Vercel preview deployments are great for UI iteration, but they don’t fully simulate backend logic changes in previews — so I’m wondering how others handle full-stack testing for interactive games like this.

Questions for the Community

I’d love input on:

  • What’s the best way to structure game logic (client vs server)?
  • Any recommendations for handling a word dictionary efficiently?
  • Should I keep validation fully client-side for speed, or move it to Serverless Functions?
  • Has anyone built something similar (word/puzzle game) on Vercel?

I’m especially interested in performance optimization and keeping the gameplay smooth across devices.

Would really appreciate any insights, examples, or even repo links.

Thanks!