SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: We’ve recently decided that Friday is pizza and board game night (no electronics of any sort allowed). The Kiddo is just the right age for one of my favorites, Clue. (Does anyone remember it? It was created in 1949 and has just kept on going…) Anyway, I went to our local game store to buy it— and was delighted to hear the owner say sales of board games are up.
Huzzah! Are we turning back to actual games, played by actual people, with actual snacks?
(The last part is of utmost importance here…)
Huzzah! Are we turning back to actual games, played by actual people, with actual snacks?
(The last part is of utmost importance here…)
As a mystery writer, I love Clue — a grand British manor house, lots of questionable characters (I’m always suspicious of Professor Plum), and
a murder to be solved.
Last night, it started to rain as we played and the Kiddo declared, “This is perfect! ‘It was a dark and stormy
night…’"
a murder to be solved.
Last night, it started to rain as we played and the Kiddo declared, “This is perfect! ‘It was a dark and stormy
night…’"
And so I ask my fellow
Reds — do you remember Clue?
Reds — do you remember Clue?
What were your favorite
board games as a child?
board games as a child?
And do you ever play board
games now?
RHYS BOWEN: My family has always loved board games. TABOO has been a favorite for a long while (you have to
describe something without using a list of words. The grandkids are really good at it).
games now?
RHYS BOWEN: My family has always loved board games. TABOO has been a favorite for a long while (you have to
describe something without using a list of words. The grandkids are really good at it).
But we used to love Clue when the kids were growing up. Scrabble, Boggle... anything with words these days.
I also belong to a board games group at my local AAUW chapter. Very therapeutic with lots of laughter. Our favorite is Cranium (see, we're brainy ladies) and also a card game called Quiddler.
HANK (MISS SCARLETT) PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, CLUE!
Kidding me? We loved Clue and we played it ALL the time, with much delight, and I attribute my entire career to it.
Kidding me? We loved Clue and we played it ALL the time, with much delight, and I attribute my entire career to it.
Well, not really, but I am still enchanted, seriously, thinking about how it made us all think, and how it was different every time, and every time I hear the word "conservatory" I wonder if there's a secret passage.
I scarfed up Miss Scarlett, wouldn't play, I fear, if I wasn't her. Funnily, now, I would pick to be Colonel Mustard, because he's the iconic one, right? Mrs. White, boring. Who was blue and black? Trying to remember...
SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: Dear Hank, er, Miss Scarlett — Blue is Mrs. Peacock and then there's Mr. Green. No black. (Or anyone Black, as Noel and Miss Edna would say.) So funny you loved Miss Scarlett (who doesn't?) and are now a Jungle Red! Did you all do funny voices? We do. Our Miss Scarlett sounds like Marilyn Monroe.
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I love, love, love CLUE, although it's a bit of hard sell sometimes with my family - I tend to win a lot (okay, almost always) and they say I have an unfair advantage. I always play Mrs. White, my son is Mr. Green (apparently Rev. Green in the recent updated game) the Smithie is Prof. Plum and Youngest is Miss Scarlett. The movie is an absolute hoot as well, if you haven't seen it.
We also love Monopoly. I don't think we've ever actually finished a game, but we always dissolve into shrieks of laughter and in-jokes during play.
Ross and the kids challenge each other to chess (which I am hopeless at.) Ross's favorite game is RISK, which is a bit too much like history class homework for me. The one game we two can agree on is Scrabble. He trounces me.
My favorite board game as a kid? THE GAME OF LIFE. Who didn't love getting assigned a career, collecting a spouse and children, and driving the tiny plastic car up hill and down on your way to retire in either Millionaire Acres or a refrigerator box?
DEBORAH CROMBIE: Oh, I love board games! So does my daughter, but hubby HATES them, so daughter and I only play occasionally. Not sure about son-in-law--will have to find out. I loved Clue, and Monopoly, and Risk, and Scrabble. But my all-time favorite was Trivial Pursuit. Does that count as a real board game? I'm always tempted by the new updated versions, but don't know anyone except my daughter who will play with me.
Hank, of COURSE you were Miss Scarlet!
SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: Debs, we have the Disney Trivial Pursuit game! Love it!
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I love, love, love CLUE, although it's a bit of hard sell sometimes with my family - I tend to win a lot (okay, almost always) and they say I have an unfair advantage. I always play Mrs. White, my son is Mr. Green (apparently Rev. Green in the recent updated game) the Smithie is Prof. Plum and Youngest is Miss Scarlett. The movie is an absolute hoot as well, if you haven't seen it.
We also love Monopoly. I don't think we've ever actually finished a game, but we always dissolve into shrieks of laughter and in-jokes during play.Ross and the kids challenge each other to chess (which I am hopeless at.) Ross's favorite game is RISK, which is a bit too much like history class homework for me. The one game we two can agree on is Scrabble. He trounces me.
My favorite board game as a kid? THE GAME OF LIFE. Who didn't love getting assigned a career, collecting a spouse and children, and driving the tiny plastic car up hill and down on your way to retire in either Millionaire Acres or a refrigerator box?
DEBORAH CROMBIE: Oh, I love board games! So does my daughter, but hubby HATES them, so daughter and I only play occasionally. Not sure about son-in-law--will have to find out. I loved Clue, and Monopoly, and Risk, and Scrabble. But my all-time favorite was Trivial Pursuit. Does that count as a real board game? I'm always tempted by the new updated versions, but don't know anyone except my daughter who will play with me.
Hank, of COURSE you were Miss Scarlet!
SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: Debs, we have the Disney Trivial Pursuit game! Love it!
Lovely readers, do you remember Clue?
What were your favorite board games as a child?
And do you ever play board games now?
