For all ages


My parents often had a couple of parties over the Christmas season. Having games around that people could play was part of how they entertained. The games were for the kids, of course, but the adults would dip in.

My parents also kept the boxes things came in. That duct tape was applied by my father. It seems amazing but as I write this, I can remember how his hands smoothed tape.

Labyrintspel is a tricky game. It beleaguered my patience no end. I couldn’t even get the ball as far through the labyrinth as it was shown on the box.

Sometimes I would try starting at the end because I’d get so sick of never getting past the 12th hole.

My father was pretty good at it. I have a vague memory of someone making it all the way through once but I don’t remember who that was.

The plonk and drrrrrrrrrrl sounds of the ball dropping and rolling to it’s little exit door evoke the special smells of Christmas like mincemeat and silver polish.

As a kid and occasionally as an adult, I’ve had a reoccurring dream that reminds me of this game. In the dream I am walking on what feels like the moon. There are lots of craters and the craters have no bottoms. To keep from falling into the bottomless, black craters, I am compelled to walk along the narrow and brittle edges between them. Inevitably, an edge breaks and I fall. Which is when I wake up. As a kid, it was often one of those falling asleep dreams that make your whole body spasm as you wake up.

As a kid, I used to wonder why anyone would make an impossible game.

Maybe I should keep it and play it every day as a way to maintain eye-hand coordination as I age. But, on the other hand, it might give me high blood pressure.

I’ve had this listed for sale online for months. It’s in good company–they’re a dime a dozen on ebay. After what happened with the dark room timer, I’m reluctant to take it to the thrift store. But now that it’s been deprecioused


4 responses to “For all ages”

  1. Love the expression depercioused!!! I’m retiring soon and plan on a big depreciousing

  2. I remember this game! I don’t recall how far i made it but i do know it was never to completion. If you still have it in july I would love to have a go.

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