NOVELTIES

This puzzle’s in our pocket, and yes, we’re excited to see it. You will be, too, because it will help you finally memorize the symbols for all of the lanthanides and actinides. Imagine a very detailed, full-color periodic table composed of (150) pieces, each of which would just about cover the thumbnail of an adult copywriter. Assembled, it’ll measure approx 6" x 4". Also comes with a 4-1/2" x 3-1/8" periodic table chart, and it all travels nicely in a clear 6” x 1” tube with a screwcap.

Imagine a game app, but in wood. Measures 6” x 3-1/4” x 3/8”, like an iPhone 6-Plus, but you never have to charge it and there’s no glass to break. Has (42) colorful geometric shapes in a wooden frame, and all you have to do is take the shapes out and try to fit them back in again, which is harder than it sounds, but that’s what puzzles are for.

The draw-it-yourself jigsaw puzzle, just begging to have an invitation written on it, and then be mailed to potential guests as a handful of pieces. But this 28-piece cardboard puzzle also measures a desktop or car-friendly 6-3/4" x 4-3/4" in plain white, so it's also begging to have kids add a picture for the fun of it. It's even suggesting that you mix the 336 blank pieces in a pile, explain it's a dozen pictures of an albino moose in a snowstorm puzzle, which it might very well be for all we know, and award a prize for the first finished puzzle. Note the classroom and party-friendly bulk price.

A "Beam-Bending logic game," The Laser Maze™ is from the same madmen who created laser chess. You get a 25-position game-board with (5) target mirrors, (2) beam splitters, a double mirror and a cell blocker. Includes (60) challenge cards with puzzle solutions and a symbols key card, plus instructions. Fosters strategic thinking, problem-solving and logic. For ages 8 to adult--basically anyone who likes to watch beams bounce around trying to hit a target. Runs on (2) button-cell batteries, included.

Fluxx, the card game with the rules that keeps changing, is now available in an anatomical version, with (100) cards depicting bones, blood vessels, brains, hearts, lungs--all of your favorite organs and more. For ages 12+ and especially for medical and nursing students.

It's nice to know that some things don't change. One is the Jacob's Ladder. Still made with (6) slabs of wood, each about 2" x 2" x 1/2", each a bright combination of colors, and all connected by a contrasting ribbon. Hold one end up and let the string of slabs dangle. When you flop the top block end for end, each lower slab in turn will flop end for end. Fascinating. Particularly if you are about 5 to 9 years old.

Then you might love these Pentomino and Tangram wooden STEM puzzles, or they might drive you mad. You pick the (12)-piece that fits in a 2-3/4” square and will reconfigure into (40) combinations, including a giraffe, elephant and butterfly; or the simple-appearing (7)-piece, also 2-3/4” square, that has (40) solutions including a swan, rabbit and dancing man. To save you from madness, they come with challenge cards that include solutions.

That’s probably what’s causing that wobbly feeling in your stomach. Also, evidenced by this Star Trek™ Fluxx® card game, the game that keeps changing while you play. Comes with (100) cards featuring Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the rest of the original crew battling Romulans and Klingons. For 2-6 players, ages 8+. Imported especially for us by the Ferengi.

Put an arcade in your pocket with this tiny pinball game. Has (3) teensy BBs, a plunger, spinners, ledges and variable point scores, all in a 3-3/8” x 2-1/4” x 3/8” thick plastic housing. We’ll pick two different with a jungle hunt, Indy 500, space race or cowboy theme because we’ve played ’em all, from Soho down to Brighton.

Big Peanuts® puzzles, 2-ft x 3-ft, with (48) big, thick pieces for easy handling by little fingers. Particularly nice depictions of the characters, with some perspective. We’ll pick a puzzle from the group, which includes: Snoopy as a flying ace; Woodstock and bird buddies; Franklin; Lucy; Linus; Peppermint Patty; Marcy; and Sally. For ages 5+.

One thousand pieces these puzzles have. From the Star Wars Collectors Edition they are and inches 12-1/2 X 15 when finished they will measure. The Mandalorian, a Storm Trooper, Finn and Darth Vader the completed pictures are of, and two different puzzles will you get for your earth money. For Jedis, padawans and smarter droids are they suitable and at twice the price bargains they would be.

New Sudokun hope for the English major or art student in your life. This clever, non-numeric Sudoku puzzle uses colors instead of numbers on the (9) 2” cubes with 1/2” squares. Position them in the tray so that no two colors are adjacent, and you win. Has two trillion (2,000,000,000,000) combinations and over 500,000 solutions. For ages 8 to adult, but frankly we don’t know why. From ThinkFun®.

Yes, boys and girls, Fluxx, the card game with the rules that keep changing, now adds the Doctor (Who?) version, and they were made for each other. Includes, of course, plenty of time-travel and regenerations of the Doctor, K9, and Gallifreyan technology, but beware of Cybermen, Daleks, Weeping Angels and the Master. Includes the standard 100-card deck, and instructions for 2-6 players ages 8+.

What's afoot? It's the thing at the end of your leg, with the toes on it. But the games that are afoot here are all updates on the classics you grew up with. We'll pick a pair from our collection that includes Frustration!, Who's There?, Naval Command, Inline and Ooops!, which is our favorite based on name alone. All for ages pretty-little and up, this electronics-free family fun is for folks hunkering down and running out of things to amuse themselves with. When the hunkering is over, though, the amusement continues with these timeless games.

Fluxx®, the card game with rules that change while you play, has gone chemical. Cards feature your favorite elements, released from their table at last, plus sundry lab items. Includes our new favorite rule: draw the Helium card and you must speak in a falsetto voice. Ages 12+.

Let’s not call the whole thing off, though, let’s send you this wooden Takuzu puzzle, inspired by computer binary code. Measures 4-3/4" square x 1/2” with a 6 x 6 grid that takes (18) “1” and (18) “0” pegs. Comes with a 21-page booklet with (26) 6 x 6 and (26) 4 x 4 puzzles with solutions. Perfect for perfecting kids’ STEM skills. Best hurry before those kids get any notions about careers in screenwriting or professional skateboarding.

What if you crossed Boris Spassky with Han Solo? Checkmate with a beam of light. This is the former KHET 2.0, now updated to a space chess theme. Includes (26) game pieces, including kings, switches, defenders, deflectors and lasers, all on an 8 x 10 grid game board that measures 12” x 9-3/4”. Features (5) distinct board set-ups, and is a two-player game for ages 8+. Trust us--it’s a blast. Includes replaceable button-cell batteries, too.

From Classic Games, this set of classic games includes checkers; backgammon; and snakes and ladders, all in snazzy individual boxes, and all in both English and French (Jeux Classiques: Jeu de Dames, Jacquet, and Serpents et Echelles), so you can learn something while you’re whiling away a rainy afternoon with the kids. We’ll send you (2) different games. For ages 6+