5 Items Tagged

The Secret World Of Games

The first ever crossword puzzle was published in December 1913 on the 'Fun' page of <em>The New York World</em>. Since then, millions more have been published around the world.

How Crossword Creators Make our Favorite Word Games

We sat down with Atlas Obscura’s crossword editors to talk Viking words, pizza rat, and the joy of wordplay.

Adrienne Raphel May 30, 2024

Balderdash takes on Mad Libs in our contest of word game supremacy.

Atlas Obscura’s Ultimate Word Game Tournament

From Password to Mad Libs to Wordle, we pit our favorite lexical pastimes head to head.

Adrienne Raphel March 29, 2024

The latest version of clue includes a more diverse cast that some observers have noted codes as queer.

From Family Game to Cult Film to 'Thirst Trap,' Clue Has Been Through It

The latest glow-up of the iconic board game draws on a wealth of cultural touchstones.

Adrienne Raphel March 5, 2024

Contract bridge is known to have a dedicated, sometimes intense, community that enforces its codes of conduct.

How the Pandemic Brought Cheating to the World of Competitive Bridge

The game's culture cares deeply about its codes of conduct, but online play rewrote the rules.

Adrienne Raphel February 1, 2024

Monopoly was first introduced to America in 1935, but its roots go deeper.

The Hidden Worlds of Monopoly

From Atlantic City to high fashion to Karl Marx, the most recognizable board game has had serious cultural impact.

Adrienne Raphel January 5, 2024