The puzzle was good enough that I borrowed it for use in a tabletop roleplaying session a couple weeks later. It took 3 me tries to get the right solution. I thought it was paced well.
I would appreciate more puzzles like this in more VNs. (I’m a huge fan of the Zero Escape series, for example.) For me it provides some more stimulation than just the reading does.
However, my reading goals are different than others. Many people read for escapism, not to do work. So I think the best way to accommodate readers who may dislike these puzzles is to have a toggle in the options page with these options:
- Never skip puzzles
- Always skip puzzles
- Ask me for each puzzle
I would make 1 the default, since you crafted the puzzles and you want people to try them, but tell them once before the first puzzle that this option exists if they want to change it.
If somebody skips the puzzle, one dialog box can explain that the MC solved it and then move on.