Sid visited China for a trade fair, and on his return I gained a few puzzles to add to my magnificent collection of failed attempts to solve anything that requires even the remotest mental dexterity. “Intelligence Toy” comes in a rubbish paper box, way too flimsy to hold its shape, given that the contents are wooden. I

To take the mother of all strategy games, with a proud heritage of 4,000 years, and embarrass oneself with a tacky fold-out board and a garbled instruction booklet, should be enough to make United Toys, manufacturers of Go, burn with shame! I worship Pente, and that magnificent 5-in-a-row masterpiece owes its

Recently I met up with my old friend Aditya who demonstrated unexpected mental dexterity at Quart. Dr Wood retails this clever strategy game at `399. It’s deceptively simple when you get started. And about the time I realised Quart requires keeping an eye on the enemy pieces as well, I was hammered!

Kreeda game boxes are scotch taped nowadays. Good move! The open boxes invariably meant missing and broken play pieces. The downside being you can’t try before you buy. Dahdi sells at `250, and turned out to be a great buy. The

MathWorld claims it is the web’s most extensive mathematical resource. It apparently serves as a ‘clearinghouse’ for new mathematical discoveries, and is widely referenced in subject journals. My introduction to

The ACT Test is America’s most widely accepted college entrance exam. It is curriculum-based, focused on English, math, science, and reading. Log on to www.act.org and browse through the “workforce” section. The Work

Freearcade.com releases three new flash games every week day, but it involves mixed fare, and some of the story lines are embarrassingly inane. Skeptically, I read through each of the flash games descriptors, and after some dithering, finally decided to give Gravity 2 a whirl. But as is the case with most such free games, there are plenty of ad banners, threatening to be a formidable distraction when the game begins.

This most macabre word deduction masterpiece, has been interpreted in so many “packaged” variants — board games, shuffle decks, magnetic sets, online versions, none really much better than the good old paper-and-pen sessions, that are an essential part of growing up, and falling in love with word games! And then suddenly at a modest `399, is HangMan Head-2-Head from (MB Games), Hasbro. A spectacular rendition that brings the game alive, all over again!

At first glance, Jenga Max looked like another of those best avoided extravagant re-makes of a classic, that retail for many times the original price.

Several readers mail asking about games I’d recommend for children, or where a particular title I mentioned can be bought. Occasionally, a manufacturer urges I write about his. Then enthusiastic PR agencies suggest I plug a brand they work with. All responses make for interesting reading. And