Cluzzle

Cluzzle is a challenging guessing game that is as intriguing as it is light-hearted. The designer calls it "Twenty Questions with Clay." And, no, it's not Cranium. It's not Sculptionary either. It's Cluzzle. And it uses clay (well, something Play Doh-like in its clayishness). But it is unlike any other clay-using game you've ever played.

Take for example, this, as depicted on the manufacturer's Claytopia page of examples, brown clay-like shape resting appropriately in its section of the Cluzzle game board. What, you might wonder, is it:

* Is this a game? No.
* Would you find it in a house? No.
* Is it bigger than a microwave? Yes.
* Is it larger than a house? Yes.
* Would this thing normally be found in cities? Yes.
* Does it have more than one word in it? Yes.
* Are the little rectangle things mobile? Yes.

Now, imagine that you've only 4 questions that you can ask per round. Imagine further that everybody else also has 4 questions. Which means that it is actually possible for 20 questions (see above) to be asked in a single, 2-minute round, depending on how well-coordinated and fast-thinking the askers. (Note how much it benefits players to cooperate during the question rounds, even though each player is actually competing against the rest).

Oh, and if you're the Cluzzle-maker, it is at least fascinating to know that you get more points the longer it takes for your Cluzzle to be guessed, but you only score if your Cluzzle is guessed before the end of the game. Hmmm. The impliclations. You want your Cluzzle to be self-evident. But not too self-evident. The subtlety of it all.

A game of Cluzzle can take 3-6 puzzle-prone players maybe 20 minutes. In return, each of the three rounds of the game offers players thoroughly involving and enjoyable puzzles, round after round after round. We played. We laughed. We found it Major FUN.