KENKEN: How Google & Very Good Ventures Helped The New York Times Launch the First Commercial Flutter Web App

Working with the incredible teams at the New York Times and Google, we created a multi-platform KENKEN game that showcases the power of Flutter on the web.

New York Times KENKEN puzzle app made its debut on stage at Google I/O 2019.

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The Challenge

The New York Times wanted to push the boundaries of digital publishing and demonstrate the power of Flutter beyond mobile. Their vision was to create a highly visible, multi-platform application that could run seamlessly on web, desktop, and mobile—all from a single codebase. 

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At the same time, the project needed to serve as a real-world, public proof of concept for Flutter Web, showcasing its potential to millions of users. This meant the app couldn’t just function—it had to be polished, responsive, and performant on every platform. Adding to the challenge, the team had to move quickly, iterating on design and development in tight cycles without the delays that usually slow down mobile app releases.

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In all, the team needed to:

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• Demonstrate Flutter’s web capabilities in a high-profile, commercial setting.
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• Deliver a single app that worked seamlessly across six platforms: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web, and Mobile Web.
  
  
• Balance shared code with platform-specific polish, ensuring each version felt tailored to the device.
  
  
• Enable rapid iteration and feedback loops to meet deadlines and maintain design quality.
  
  
• Ensure production-level performance and reliability, since the app would be showcased by both Google and The New York Times.

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Our Solution

Very Good Ventures partnered with The New York Times and Google to transform this vision into reality. The team selected KenKen, a popular and challenging number puzzle, as the perfect vehicle to showcase Flutter Web’s power. 

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By building the NYT KENKEN as a multi-platform application, the project could highlight Flutter’s promise: one codebase, multiple platforms, consistent performance. At every step, the focus was on making the app feel “right” no matter the device, without sacrificing the speed of iteration required for such a high-profile launch. Our approach included:

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• Selecting KenKen as the Flagship App: Its global recognition and engaging gameplay made it the perfect puzzle to demonstrate Flutter’s versatility and performance.
  
  
• Committing to a Single Codebase Strategy: Instead of splitting resources across different platforms, the project fully embraced Flutter’s promise of “write once, run anywhere.”
  
  
• Prioritizing Responsive Design & Adaptability: The app was designed to feel consistent and fluid on every platform, while still respecting each device’s form factor.
  
  
• Balancing Shared Logic with Platform Polish: Strategic decisions were made on where to reuse code and where to add device-specific enhancements for a seamless user experience.
  
  
• Setting the Stage for Rapid Iteration: From the outset, the team emphasized processes that would allow for quick feedback and tight collaboration between designers, developers, and stakeholders.

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How We Did It

Turning this strategy into reality required a disciplined engineering process and cutting-edge use of Flutter’s capabilities. We built a robust development workflow that supported experimentation, continuous delivery, and multi-platform deployment at scale. By combining automation with thoughtful testing and release practices, the team ensured the app wasn’t just a prototype, but a production-ready product capable of supporting millions of users. To do this, we:

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• Implemented a CI/CD Pipeline: Automated testing and builds ensured stability and consistency across six platforms while accelerating delivery timelines.
  
  
• Used Firebase Hosting for Instant Updates: Instead of waiting days for app store review cycles, stakeholders could see changes within minutes, speeding up collaboration.
  
  
• Developed Responsive layouts & Platform Optimizations: Features like touch gestures on mobile, mouse/keyboard support on desktop, and scalable layouts ensured usability everywhere.
  
  
• Managed Cross-Platform Deployment From One Codebase: Flutter’s architecture was fully leveraged to deliver iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web, and Mobile Web apps without fragmenting the code.
  
  

The Results

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#1

First commercial Flutter web demo

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6-in-1

A single codebase produced apps for iOS, Android, mac, Windows, Web, and mobile Web

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1.1M+

Digital app subscribers

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