Show HN: A 45x45 Connections Puzzle To Commemorate 2025=45*45

It's a a long puzzle, somewhat akin to a 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle. Solving it collectively with others is encouraged.

If you are the sort that likes rules, the rules are you can use Google or whatever external sources you like for help. View page source, however, is cheating.

Hat tip to Octagon and the TND crew for help in play testing and proposing categories.

Thomas, I love this! I vibe coded a bunch of quality of life improvements to this and put it up here: https://vessenes.github.io/2025is45x45/ .

Note - you didn't license your original page; I've released my modifications under CC0 and linked back to you -- if you hate it, I'll take it down. I just thought it was fun but I wanted something that was a little easier to engage with.

Quick summary of features - some font and ui design, "S" to shuffle, "R" to reset, "/" to search, Esc works throughout, pinned boxes so you can scroll and search.. that's the main stuff.

fyi, it appears that if you search for a category name like "sports" or "instrument" it will just show you every item for that category lol

The connections are too easy to the point where the main challenge for me was to remember/locate where I had stored the nodes of that category. I think the fun in a connection puzzle comes from trying to figure out what the link is that connects different nodes, and resolving any red herrings by deduction (which is what makes OnlyConnect's connection wall great and NYT's knockoff mediocre). In this one I can spot the intended category for each node without even looking at the others.

Thanks for sharing. Although 'Boromir' and 'One does not simply' should absolutely be a match!

I clicked straight through without reading your directions and I liked figuring out the puzzle of the puzzle. I really appreciate a long puzzle. This is great!

edit: Now I see that the bigger challenge is finding the small collections again after I’ve grouped a few together.

This is a lot of fun! Works decently well on mobile too. One suggestion (although, take it with a grain of salt)- I didn’t notice the deselect since header disappears on zoom. Might be better that way, but might be useful sticked top. Nice work!

Interesting idea. One note: sometimes after I connect two items it'll reselect the combined item, sometimes it won't. I'd prefer if it never did, but at least if it was consistent I could get used to having to click "Deselect" each time...

EDIT: Also, would be helpful if the items where I've created a category were somehow grouped (column on the left?) so when I find a third item, it's easier to find the ones I'd already joined.

5 hours into “just checking it out”.. very nice puzzle.

2025 had a bunch of bits of fun mathematical trivia:

45² = 45 x 45 = 2025

Also,

9² x 5² = 2025

40² + 20² + 5² = 2025

My favourite?

1³+2³+3³+4³+5³+6³+7³+8³+9³ = 2025

very nice! would be nicer if it can be playable on mobile, i know where i'm gonna spend my time waiting for my wife at the mall now.

Geez, last time the year was a square was 1936. And it won't be again until 2116.

This is magnificent <3