Show HN: Pegasus3301 – a Cicada 3301–inspired online puzzle game

Hi HN,

I built Pegasus3301, an online puzzle game inspired by Cicada 3301.

It’s a multi-stage challenge that mixes ciphers, hidden clues, logic problems, and misdirection. Each stage unlocks the next, and most of the puzzles rely on observation rather than brute force.

I built this as an experiment in puzzle design and player behavior. It runs entirely in the browser and is free to play.

I’d really appreciate feedback—especially on puzzle clarity, difficulty balance, and whether the progression feels fair.

Link: https://pegasus3301.com/

Show HN: Pegasus3301 – a Cicada 3301–inspired online puzzle game
pegasus3301.com

The attention to detail in the puzzles is remarkable. I can tell a lot of thought went into the flow and hidden clues.

The game is fascinating... I've been playing it for a long time. If you ask me my opinion on the difficulty balance, I'd say it's not very well balanced... There are very easy levels, one medium level, and one that's too difficult—I know deep down that it's actually the easiest level of all...

Thanks for spending the time with it — I really appreciate that.

You’re right about the difficulty curve. It’s intentionally uneven right now, partly because I wanted to see where people get stuck versus where things feel obvious in hindsight. That “this is actually the easiest level” feeling is especially interesting to me, because it usually means the puzzle relies on a mental shift rather than complexity.

If you’re up for sharing later (even vaguely), I’d love to hear which transition felt the most jarring. Feedback like this is exactly what I was hoping for.