puzzle-author

name	puzzle-author
description	Create high-quality Rust learning puzzles for experienced programmers.

Puzzle Author Skill

Create Rust puzzles for a learner who already knows Python, TypeScript, C++, Java, and Go.

The goal is to teach Rust-specific thinking, not programming basics.

Good puzzle themes

Use these themes for standalone puzzles:

• borrowed data structures
• lifetime-constrained APIs
• zero-copy string/slice processing
• enum-based state machines
• Result-based parsers
• custom error modeling
• trait-based extensibility
• generic constraints
• iterator transformations
• ownership-aware refactoring
• module and visibility boundaries

Level selection

Use P00 only for bundled syntax warmups.

Use P01 for small transition exercises that still require Rust-specific thinking.

Use P10+ for normal standalone puzzles.

A new standalone puzzle should usually be P10 or above.

Do not create standalone trivial puzzles. If a simple concept is needed, add it to a P00 gym or as a small subtask inside a higher-level puzzle.

Required files

Each puzzle directory must include:

• Cargo.toml
• README.md
• Puzzle.toml
• src/lib.rs
• tests/judge.rs

README sections

1. Goal
2. API to implement
3. Examples
4. Constraints
5. Rust concepts
6. Common traps
7. Hints
8. Optional extensions
9. Language comparisons

Starter code

Starter code should compile.

Use todo!() for unimplemented functions unless the puzzle intentionally teaches a compiler error.

Avoid giving the full solution in comments.

Test design

Tests should include:

• at least one happy path
• at least one edge case
• at least one case that catches a common wrong implementation

Tests should be deterministic and use only the standard library unless there is a strong reason otherwise.

Metadata

Puzzle.toml must include:

id = "p20_example"
title = "Example"
level = "P20"
track = "lifetime"
difficulty = "medium"
status = "active"
topics = ["&str", "lifetime"]
estimated_minutes = 45