Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Mouse Trap Has Become a Life-Sized Attraction

Why would someone build a life-sized version of the well-known board game? To teach.

by Rich Watson 


Mouse Trap was one of my favorite board games for the process of creating the three-dimensional contraption while playing and watching it work. It’s a unique function of this clever game that continues to entertain.

So when I discovered there was a life-sized version that travels around the country, I had to learn about it.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Scrabble Was Developed in a Church Basement in Queens


The world-famous word game began in this Queens church.
by Rich Watson 


For years, Scrabble has challenged millions of players with expansive vocabularies. Knowing not only what words to play, but where to play them is key to winning this mentally stimulating board game enjoyed worldwide.

It’s hard to believe it began in a church basement in Queens.

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

The Military Connections to the Game Battleship

 


The popular board game and its initial manufacturer both had ties to real-life wars.

by Rich Watson 


Battleship was always fun. I had the game itself but I also remember playing a pen-and-paper version that worked similarly. It was good for when the teacher was absent and we goofed around in the back of the classroom while the substitute filled out delaney cards or whatever.

Given its military trappings, it should come as no surprise that its roots sprung during wartime.