# PuzzleTide (npm · puzzletide-mcp)

Word search, crossword, and sudoku generators, printable PDF worksheets, and verifiable LLM evals.

- Trust score: 68/100 (medium)
- Change this week: +23
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-08-03

## Components

- npm · `puzzletide-mcp`: 68/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/catorch-puzzletide/puzzletide-mcp.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/catorch-puzzletide/puzzletide-mcp)

## Channel facts

- Registry: `npm`
- Package: `puzzletide-mcp`
- Version: `0.2.1`
- Transport: `stdio`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically from public evidence about the published package, including repeated runs of it in an isolated sandbox, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-08-03.

- **Supply Chain Security**: 87/100
  - No malware found by supply-chain analysis.
  - Only part of the dependency tree could be resolved (102 of 106), so this covers what we could see, not the whole tree.
  - No install/post-install scripts declared.
  - Only part of the dependency tree could be resolved (102 of 106), so this covers what we could see, not the whole tree.
- **Provenance & Transparency**: 45/100
  - Source repository is publicly reachable at the declared URL.
  - Provenance check failed: no build-provenance attestation is published.
  - Clear OSI-approved license (MIT).
  - Actively maintained (last published 17 days ago).
  - Disclosure check failed: no security disclosure policy was found in the source repository.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 71/100
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (excellent).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 2084 tokens (~138/item across 15 items; 15 tools + 0 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 27/100
  - Stability observed for 8 of 30 days with no destabilising changes; credit accrues until the full window elapses.
- **Tool Coverage**: 100/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 100% of tool parameters carry a description.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a supported MCP spec version (2025-11-25); the latest is 2026-07-28.

## Install

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add catorch-puzzletide -- npx -y puzzletide-mcp
```

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add catorch-puzzletide -- npx -y puzzletide-mcp
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "catorch-puzzletide": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "npx",
        "-y",
        "puzzletide-mcp"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add catorch-puzzletide --command npx --arg -y --arg puzzletide-mcp
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  catorch-puzzletide:
    command: "npx"
    args: ["-y", "puzzletide-mcp"]
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "catorch-puzzletide": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "puzzletide-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-08-03 (score 68, +4)

- [functional improvement] Stability: unverified → 0.27

### 2026-08-02 (score 64, +44)

- [security regression] Provenance: unverified → fail
- [security improvement] Install scripts: unverified → pass
- [security improvement] Known CVEs: unverified → partial
- [security improvement] Malware scan: unverified → pass
- [security] Stability: Stability not yet verified: not enough scan history yet (needs a 30-day window).
- [functional improvement] Schema quality: unverified → excellent
- [functional improvement] License: unverified → pass
- [functional improvement] Dependency health: unverified → partial
- [functional improvement] Maintenance: unverified → pass
- [functional improvement] MCP protocol: unverified → pass
- [functional] Licence: MIT

### 2026-07-31 (score 20, +14)

- [functional] We updated how we score, so this day's move reflects our rubric, not a change to the server

### 2026-07-30 (score 6, −39)

- [security regression] Malware scan: pass → unverified
- [functional regression] Tool coverage: 100 → unverified
- [functional] First check of Schema quality: unverified

### 2026-07-27 (score 45)

First indexed and scored.

## MCP tools (15)

### `eval_check` (~98 tokens)

eval check

Grades a JSON answers file against a tasks file produced by eval generate. Verification is by construction: sudoku answers must satisfy sudoku rules and preserve the givens; word search answers must spell the word along a straight line in the grid. Outputs per-task results and a score summary.

Input parameters:

- `answers` (string|number): JSON array of {id, answer} (required)
- `tasks` (string|number): Tasks JSON from eval generate (required)

### `eval_generate` (~183 tokens)

eval generate

Emits a JSON array of puzzle tasks with objectively checkable answers. Types: sudoku (unique-solution puzzles; answers verified against sudoku rules + givens) and wordsearch (answers verified against the grid letters). Deterministic with --seed, so a (seed, type, difficulty, n) tuple names a reproducible benchmark set.

Input parameters:

- `difficulty` (string|number): sudoku: easy|medium|hard|expert; wordsearch: easy|medium|hard (default: medium)
- `n` (string|number): Number of tasks (default: 10)
- `out` (string|number): Write tasks JSON to a file instead of stdout
- `seed` (string|number): Seed for a reproducible task set (default: 1)
- `type` (string|number): Task type: sudoku or wordsearch (default: sudoku)

### `play_daily` (~38 tokens)

play daily

Prints a daily sudoku (medium difficulty) that is the same for everyone on the same UTC calendar day. Solve more puzzles at puzzletide.com.

### `puzzle_crossword_generate` (~332 tokens)

crossword generate

Builds an interlocking crossword grid with standard numbering. Words come from --words "WORD: clue; WORD2: clue2", --file (JSON [{word,clue}] or "WORD: clue" lines), or --theme (clues are auto-generated puzzle-style hints). Words that cannot interlock are reported as unplaced. Deterministic with --seed. Online version: https://puzzletide.com/crossword

Input parameters:

- `count` (string|number): Number of words to use from the theme/file (default: 10)
- `file` (string|number): JSON array of {word, clue} or "WORD: clue" lines
- `paper` (string|number): PDF paper size: letter or a4 (default: letter)
- `pdf` (string|number): Also write a printable PDF worksheet to <file>
- `seed` (string|number): Seed for reproducible output (number or word)
- `size` (string|number): Working grid size before trimming (5-25) (default: 15)
- `solution` (boolean): Print the solution instead of the puzzle
- `solutionPage` (boolean): Omit the solution page from PDF output — set false to disable
- `svg` (string|number): Also write an SVG image to <file>
- `theme` (string|number): Use a bundled word bank theme (auto-generated clues)
- `title` (string|number): Title used in SVG/PDF output
- `words` (string|number): Semicolon-separated "WORD: clue" pairs

### `puzzle_sudoku_generate` (~223 tokens)

sudoku generate

Generates a 9x9 sudoku at easy/medium/hard/expert difficulty. Every puzzle is verified to have exactly one solution. Deterministic with --seed. The canonical string format is 81 characters, row by row, "." for empty cells. Online version: https://puzzletide.com/sudoku

Input parameters:

- `difficulty` (string|number): One of: easy, medium, hard, expert (default: medium)
- `paper` (string|number): PDF paper size: letter or a4 (default: letter)
- `pdf` (string|number): Also write a printable PDF worksheet to <file>
- `seed` (string|number): Seed for reproducible output (number or word)
- `solution` (boolean): Print the solution instead of the puzzle
- `solutionPage` (boolean): Omit the solution page from PDF output — set false to disable
- `svg` (string|number): Also write an SVG image to <file>
- `title` (string|number): Title used in SVG/PDF output

### `puzzle_sudoku_solve` (~119 tokens)

sudoku solve

Solves a 9x9 sudoku via backtracking. Input: 81 characters row by row with 1-9 for givens and 0/./_ for empty cells (whitespace and separators are ignored), passed inline, via --file, or on stdin. Reports whether the solution is unique. Online version: https://puzzletide.com/sudoku

Input parameters:

- `file` (string|number): Read the grid from a file
- `grid` (string): 81-character puzzle string (or "-" for stdin)

### `puzzle_sudoku_validate` (~97 tokens)

sudoku validate

Checks a 9x9 sudoku grid for well-formedness, conflicting givens, solvability, and whether the solution is unique (a proper sudoku has exactly one). Same input formats as sudoku solve. Online version: https://puzzletide.com/sudoku

Input parameters:

- `file` (string|number): Read the grid from a file
- `grid` (string): 81-character puzzle string (or "-" for stdin)

### `puzzle_wordsearch_generate` (~431 tokens)

wordsearch generate

Places every word in a letter grid (8 possible directions, difficulty presets) and fills the rest with random letters. Deterministic with --seed. Words come from --words, --file (one per line), or --theme (bundled PuzzleTide word banks). Output: text grid, --json structured data, --svg image, or --pdf printable worksheet with solution page. Online version: https://puzzletide.com/word-search

Input parameters:

- `cols` (string|number): Grid columns (overrides --size)
- `count` (string|number): Number of words to use from the theme/file (default: 12)
- `difficulty` (string|number): Direction preset: easy (E,S), medium (+diagonals), hard (all 8) (default: medium)
- `directions` (string|number): Explicit directions (comma-separated from: N,NE,E,SE,S,SW,W,NW)
- `file` (string|number): Read words from a file (one per line or comma-separated)
- `paper` (string|number): PDF paper size: letter or a4 (default: letter)
- `pdf` (string|number): Also write a printable PDF worksheet to <file>
- `rows` (string|number): Grid rows (overrides --size)
- `seed` (string|number): Seed for reproducible output (number or word)
- `size` (string|number): Square grid size (6-30); computed from words if omitted
- `solution` (boolean): Print the solution instead of the puzzle
- `solutionPage` (boolean): Omit the solution page from PDF output — set false to disable
- `svg` (string|number): Also write an SVG image to <file>
- `theme` (string|number): Use a bundled word bank theme (see: ptide words themes)
- `title` (string|number): Title used in SVG/PDF output
- `words` (string|number): Comma-separated words, e.g. "cat,dog,fish"

### `words_anagram` (~52 tokens)

words anagram

Finds single-word anagrams of the given letters within the bundled word bank sample.

Input parameters:

- `letters` (string, required): Letters to rearrange
- `limit` (string|number): Maximum results (default: 50)

### `words_categories` (~30 tokens)

words categories

Lists the bundled PuzzleTide word bank categories (animals, geography, holidays, ...) with their theme counts.

### `words_list` (~114 tokens)

words list

Prints the words of one bundled theme, optionally filtered by length, shuffled by --seed, and limited by --count. Useful as input for generators or other tools.

Input parameters:

- `count` (string|number): Maximum number of words
- `maxLength` (string|number): Maximum word length
- `minLength` (string|number): Minimum word length
- `seed` (string|number): Shuffle deterministically before applying --count
- `theme` (string, required): Theme id, e.g. animals/ocean-animals

### `words_match` (~78 tokens)

words match

Matches the bundled word bank sample against a pattern where "_" or "?" is any letter, e.g. "c_r_l" matches CORAL. Helpful when stuck on a crossword or word puzzle.

Input parameters:

- `limit` (string|number): Maximum results (default: 50)
- `pattern` (string, required): Pattern with _ or ? wildcards

### `words_random` (~80 tokens)

words random

Picks a random word from the bundled word banks — the same pool the hangman game uses. Deterministic with --seed.

Input parameters:

- `minLength` (string|number): Minimum word length (default: 4)
- `seed` (string|number): Seed for reproducible output
- `theme` (string|number): Restrict to one theme

### `words_stats` (~24 tokens)

words stats

Prints the size of the bundled word bank: categories, themes, unique words.

### `words_themes` (~101 tokens)

words themes

Lists the bundled starter themes (30 generic word lists; the full curated collection is at puzzletide.com). Filter by --category or full-text --search. Theme ids look like "animals/ocean-animals".

Input parameters:

- `category` (string|number): Only themes in this category
- `limit` (string|number): Maximum results (default: 50)
- `search` (string|number): Full-text search over id, title, and description

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: Provenance, Dependencies. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/catorch-puzzletide/puzzletide-mcp#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-08-03: 68
- 2026-08-02: 64
- 2026-08-01: 20
- 2026-07-31: 20
- 2026-07-30: 6
- 2026-07-28: 45
- 2026-07-27: 45

## Links

- npm package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/puzzletide-mcp
- Socket report: https://socket.dev/npm/package/puzzletide-mcp
- Repository: https://github.com/Caravaca-Labs/puzzletide-cli
- Website: https://puzzletide.com/
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/catorch-puzzletide/puzzletide-mcp/changelog.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/catorch-puzzletide/puzzletide-mcp/changelog.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/catorch-puzzletide/puzzletide-mcp