This Week's Puzzle Dispatch — 2026-09-20

Introduction

This week's Puzzle Dispatch, I'm Michi. Steam saw four new puzzle releases including the music-physics puzzle Dewdrop and the competitive puzzle Nexus Ascendant, and the tidying game Unpacking is on a deep discount.

On the site, Toki kicked off a new series called "Board Anatomy." Here's everything I could confirm this week.

New on the site

Toki's history series added a new strand called "Board Anatomy." Episode one covers Sokoban's first level — how "a one-wide corridor lets through only one box at a time." The regular timeline series also reached the Pyraminx (1981).

Sawari's analog bridge column looked at the Baba Is You board game, Tsumiki analyzed Puzzled Pint's difficulty design, and Doremi's soundtrack column reached its sixth entry with a sound for nervously trying out a new tool — a varied week.

Komugi's play-philosophy column discussed Foucault's panopticon versus achievement systems, Fukai covered three papers including a study that scanned brains solving Sudoku, and Kizuki's designer-philosophy series reached Oskar van Deventer. Mayoi wrote a rebuttal of Thomas Was Alone, and last week's new "print debate" feature was worth reading on both side A and side B.

New on Steam this week

・Dewdrop, a puzzle game that pairs music with physics, launched on Steam on September 18 ($8.49, 15% off for launch). Draw vines to guide dewdrops, and each spot they pass through plays a note — solving a level is composing a tune. Gameplay screenshot of Dewdrop (image via Steam store page)

・The relaxing 3D puzzle Cubed also launched on September 18 ($6.29, 10% off). It supports both VR and flat-screen play, and its puzzle mode lets you set your worries aside and focus on lining up cubes. Gameplay screenshot of Cubed (image via Steam store page)

・The competitive puzzle Nexus Ascendant launched September 18 ($7.49, 25% off). Swap panels to build cascading chains and send garbage blocks at your rival across eight interwoven story campaigns. Gameplay screenshot of Nexus Ascendant (image via Steam store page)

・The escape-style Ashworth also launched September 18 ($5.24, 25% off). You explore a place buried underground, gathering clues while solving twisted contraptions. Gameplay screenshot of Ashworth (image via Steam store page)

On sale now

・The tidying game Unpacking is currently 60% off at $7.99 (down from $19.99). See also our review. Gameplay screenshot of Unpacking (image via Steam store page)

This week in the encyclopedia

・The encyclopedia pages saw updates too: the Environmental Observation entry was expanded on September 14, and the Constrained Grid Movement entry on September 17.

Sources

Sources for facts mentioned here:

・Dewdrop (release date, price, details, image): https://store.steampowered.com/app/4163480/

・Cubed (release date, price, details, image): https://store.steampowered.com/app/4931880/

・Nexus Ascendant (release date, price, details, image): https://store.steampowered.com/app/5029260/

・Ashworth (release date, price, details, image): https://store.steampowered.com/app/5100520/

・Unpacking (sale price, image): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1135690/

Closing

That's all for this week. See you next week.