Frase By Forbes is a daily word game that challenges players to unscramble anagrams to reveal business- and culture-related phrases. Built in-house by a small team, it’s a surprising addition to Forbes’ digital experience—blending wordplay with brand credibility. In this interview, the game’s lead designer – Pranav Shinde, shares how Frase came to life, the thinking behind its simple-yet-smart interface, and why even serious platforms benefit from a little play.
One of the world’s most serious media brands, and why curiosity might just be the best UX strategy.
When people think of Forbes, they think of legacy, leadership, and lists, not word games. But Frase By Forbes, a daily anagram game, managed to carve out space within the brand’s ecosystem. We sat down with the lead designer behind Frase to understand how the game came to life, what it taught the team, and why curiosity might just be the best UX strategy.
Q: Let’s start from the top. How did a game like Frase come to exist at Forbes?
Honestly, it started as a side conversation. We were exploring ways to bring lightness into the Forbes experience—a moment of pause for readers, something playful that still felt on-brand. Competitors were doing games, sure, but we didn’t want to copy anyone. We asked ourselves, “What kind of game would make sense coming from Forbes?” That’s how we landed on anagrams—something rooted in language and logic, but still fun.
Q: What was the design challenge in building something like this?
Simplicity, hands down. We wanted the game to feel effortless, no tutorials, no onboarding. Just tap, play, and maybe feel a little smarter after. I led the end-to-end UX and UI, from sketching ideas on paper to building out prototypes. Everything we designed was filtered through the question: Is this sparking curiosity?
Even tiny things like the shape of the answer grid or how letters animate on entry. We questioned it all. The goal was to eliminate friction and let people focus on the joy of solving the “frase.”
Q: What about the visual tone? How did you balance fun with the Forbes brand?
That was a tightrope walk. We couldn’t go too cartoonish or casual and it had to feel native to Forbes. So we treated tone like a design element: clean typography, restrained colors, soft animations. Nothing loud. Even the copy was intentional, clever, but never goofy. We wanted the game to feel more like solving a crossword than playing Candy Crush.
Q: What was the development process like? How big was the team?
Small and fast. It was just me on design, one PM, and one developer. We didn’t have months, we had weeks. So we scoped it tight. The PM took on the editorial lift of sourcing the phrases and anagrams. I worked closely with the dev to refine microinteractions and handle edge cases.
What helped was the tight feedback loop. We’d test something in the morning and have it fixed by the afternoon. No long approvals. Just build, test, and simplify.
Q: So where does Frase fit into Forbes’ broader product strategy?
It’s a small daily ritual. That’s the real power. Forbes is built on habit. People return for rankings, analysis, news. But we wondered: What if we gave them a reason to come back that felt lighter? That’s what Frase is. A reward for showing up. No paywall. No pushy prompts. Just a clean, dopamine-hit that resets each day.
It’s subtle by design. It doesn’t shout for attention. But for users who find it and enjoy it, it becomes a part of their rhythm.
Q: What are some of your key takeaways from the project?
- Curiosity is a design strategy. You don’t have to explain everything—sometimes what you leave out is what pulls people in.
- Play belongs in serious places. A well-designed interaction or small bit of fun can add warmth to even the most formal brands.
- Delight doesn’t need to be loud. A touch of polish can go a long way.
- Constraints sharpen focus. Having a small team and a deadline made us prioritize what actually mattered.
Q: What’s next for Frase or for this kind of work at Forbes?
Frase has quietly built a loyal following. Thousands play daily. Internally, it’s sparked excitement too—we’re thinking about difficulty levels, streaks, maybe themed weeks.
But really, it’s opened the door to asking: Where else can we play? Even the most established brands have room for surprise. You just need to look for it.
That’s the kind of impact I chase as a designer, not louder. Just smarter.
