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Welcome, Beta Tester!

Thank you for helping us test PuzzleParty! Your feedback is invaluable in making the app better for everyone. This guide will help you get started and make the most of your testing experience.

Which Version Do I Have?

We have two TestFlight versions. You can tell them apart by their app icons:

Production Icon

Production

Yellow & Green squares

This is the main release candidate — what will eventually go to the App Store. Most testers should use this version.

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Party Sharing: Share links work just like they will in the final App Store release. You can invite anyone with an iPhone to join your party!
Staging Icon

Staging

Red & Blue squares

Development testing version with experimental features. May be less stable but lets you try new things first!

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Party Sharing Note: Staging uses a limited tester group. You can only share parties with other beta testers in our group. Share links sent to people outside the group won't work. Contact beta@puzzleparty.app to find out who's in your test group.

You can have both versions installed at the same time if you'd like to compare them.

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Important: Separate Databases

Production and Staging use completely separate databases. Your account, parties, and puzzle entries in one version don't exist in the other. If you have both apps installed and are in parties on each, you'll need to share your puzzle entries to each app individually.

Getting Started

1

Download TestFlight

TestFlight is Apple's official app for beta testing. Download it free from the App Store.

Download TestFlight
2

Accept the Invitation

Tap the TestFlight invitation link you received (via email or direct link). If you have a redemption code, enter it in the TestFlight app by tapping "Redeem" in the top right corner.

3

Install PuzzleParty

Tap "Accept" to join the beta test, then tap "Install" to download the app. The app will appear on your home screen with an orange dot indicating it's a beta version.

4

Start Playing!

Open PuzzleParty, create an account or sign in, and start tracking your daily puzzles. Join a party with friends or create your own!

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Pro Tip: Quick Sharing

After completing a puzzle in the NYT Games app, tap Share and look for PuzzleParty in the share sheet. Don't see it? Scroll right and tap More to find and enable it.

Keeping Up to Date

TestFlight will notify you when new builds are available. To update:

  • Open the TestFlight app
  • Find PuzzleParty in your list of apps
  • Tap "Update" if a new version is available
  • Check the "What's New" section to see what changed

Providing Feedback

Your feedback helps us improve! Here are the ways you can share your thoughts:

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Shake to Send Feedback

While using the app, shake your device to bring up the feedback form. You can include a screenshot and describe what you were doing.

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TestFlight App

Open TestFlight, find PuzzleParty, and tap "Send Beta Feedback." You can attach screenshots and describe issues or suggestions.

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Email Us

For detailed feedback or feature requests, email us directly.

beta@puzzleparty.app
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Crash Reports

If the app crashes, TestFlight automatically sends us a report. No action needed from you — just keep using the app!

Tips for Helpful Feedback

  • • Describe the steps to reproduce the issue
  • • Tell us what you expected to happen vs. what actually happened
  • • Include screenshots or screen recordings when possible
  • • Mention your device model and iOS version

Troubleshooting

My TestFlight invitation expired
TestFlight invitations can expire. Contact us at beta@puzzleparty.app and we'll send you a fresh invitation link.

The app isn't updating
Try these steps:
  • Open the TestFlight app and pull down to refresh
  • Check your internet connection
  • Make sure you have enough storage space on your device
  • Try uninstalling and reinstalling from TestFlight

I can't find PuzzleParty in TestFlight
Make sure you've accepted the TestFlight invitation using the same Apple ID you're signed into on your device. If you're using a different Apple ID, sign out and sign in with the correct one, or request a new invitation at beta@puzzleparty.app.

Can I switch between Production and Staging?
Yes! You can have both versions installed at the same time. They appear as separate apps with different icons. Your account works on both, but be aware that data might not always sync perfectly between versions since Staging may have experimental features.

Why can't I find the app on the App Store?
PuzzleParty isn't on the App Store yet — that's why we need your help testing! The TestFlight version is available exclusively to beta testers. Once we're confident the app is ready, we'll release it to the public App Store.

My party share link isn't working for my friend
If you're using the Staging version (red & blue icon), party share links only work for other members of our internal beta test group. Your friend needs to be part of the Staging TestFlight group to join your party. Contact beta@puzzleparty.app to request access for your friend, or switch to the Production version where share links work for anyone.
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Need More Help?

Check out our FAQ for general questions, or reach out to us at beta@puzzleparty.app for anything TestFlight-related. We're here to help!