Episode 19: We Have a Clue! Deductive Reasoning in the Classic Boardgame

October is here. Time for falling leaves, pumpkin spice everything, and curling up with a good mystery book. Or better yet, pulling out a mystery game and spending time with family as the days (eventually) become crisp. And what better game to start off this Month of Mystery than the classic board game "Clue"? Chris and Laura discuss the game's history, how deductive reasoning lies at the heart of the game, and provide some suggestions for speeding up the game when it's dragging without damaging the mechanics. 

 

Games Mentioned:

 

Clue (Retro 1986 Edition) - If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, this is probably the version you played. 

Clue Master Dectective - More suspects, more weapons, more rooms. This expanded version of the game increases complexity, but also allows for more players as well. Great for large families or bigger groups.

Clue - This is the current version of the game. Mostly similar to the original, but a magnifying glass option allows players to gain hints. 

Clue (2013 Edition with Additional Boardwalk Setting) - This curious version of the game trades out billiard rooms and conservatories for much more pedestrian rooms and a disconcerting arrangement of rectangular tiles off-set on a diagonal. It may be a more modern way to lay flooring, but it make for a dizzying game board. To keep up variety, the board has a second side with an alternate location, a boardwalk, and an extra set of location cards to trade in if you use that setting. 

Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea VASSAL module - As mentioned a few weeks back, the Vassal module for ACIS is now live. 

Magic: The Gathering - link to the new Throne of Eldraine expansion mentioned at the top of the show. Look through the pretty new cards for some fantastic nods to classic fairy tales. 

 

 

Additional Material:

 

Clue: The Movie - Tim Curry at his finest. Rated PG. As mentioned in the show, there are oblique references to a number of adult themes, but most are of the sort that will not be caught by children. 

 

 

Can't see the links? Podcatcher turning my painstaking labor into plaintext? Come visit the podcast page at  https://played.podbean.com/ and get the full experience, complete with all the links in perfect functioning order. 

 

Intro and Outro Music:

"Crunk Knight" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Other Music:

Music from https://filmmusic.io
"Hall of the Mountain King" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Music from https://filmmusic.io
"One-eyed Maestro" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)