In a hotel in New Orleans...

The room is deathly quiet. Everyone in it knows exactly what is at stake. The NSA has quietly assembled this group of highly-intelligent linguists, all trained to study and look for hidden words for hours on end. This drama is playing out right now. This no game.

Okay, maybe it is.

No, not that NSA. Try this NSA.

The National Scrabble Association reports that the 2004 National Scrabble Championship is taking place from July 31st to August 5th in New Orleans, LA. Over 800 players compete to become the top two contenders. Over $92,000 in prizes will be awarded this year to players in six divisions, including $25,000 to the winner of the televised best-of-five finals match.

Hey, Hockey Puck!

So I was looking for blurbs for the dust jacket on my second printing and I thought of the Toy Story trio of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Don Rickles. I have yet to hear back from Woody or Buzz, but at least the man behind the public relations firm behind the man behind the voice behind Mr. Potato Head was kind enough to write me this letter.

My hunt for blurbs continues...

Are You a "Painter of Light?"

Eat your heart out Thomas Kinkade. Business Wire reports that Hasbro is conducting a search for the "Best and Brightest LITE-BRITE Artists" in America to compete for prizes topping $5,000. Entry forms are available at www.litebrite.com.

From the pages of The Playmakers, pictured above is the actual 1967 Toy Fair prototype of Lite-Brite. Designed by Burt Meyer of the legendary design firm Marvin Glass & Associates, Lite-Brite started off as two thick plastic panels with an identical series of holes in each. Meyer sandwiched black paper in between the panels to block out the light, which was generated from a household light bulb. When translucent-colored pegs were plugged into the holes, they perforated the paper blocking the light and appeared to magically “turn on.”

Kids have been painting with colored pegs ever since.

The Toys That Bind

No doubt toys connect us. Many of the regular visitors to this site know that I am also the co-inventor of a game called TriBond. A recent e-mail to our TriBond website substantiates the bonding power of games.

"I purchased my first TriBond game several years ago and have enjoyed it so much. Recently a dear friend, who is also a TriBond lover, moved hundreds of miles away. In order to keep her alert on the road, entertained, and in touch with the family she left behind, we played "Travelling TriBond." My friend would call me and ask up to three questions. I would ask her up to three questions. We continued making calls to one another for the duration of her trip and the winner (not me) was declared when she reached her destination. We had so much fun that we almost forgot how sad we were, having to part. Thanks for allowing us to stay connected just a little while longer. Tina H."

Thank you again Tina for sharing your story and confirming the value of playthings in our lives!

How's your Etch A Skill?

We were first introduced to the Etch A Sketch Magic Screen in 1960. Anyone who has ever played with this toy classic (and there are over 100 million of us!) would have to consider professional Etch A Sketch artist, Nicole Falzone, the Monet of the Magic Screen. There are a handful of talented Etch A Sketch aficionados out there, but Falzone has attained a measure of deserved mainstream attention; her remarkable etches of celebrities like John Lennon and Louis Armstrong have appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and other national TV programs. How good is she? The proof is already framed in red and ready to be hung:
If you'd like to see more of Nicole's work go to her website, and if you find yourself jealous of her Etch A Skill perhaps this website will provide the lift you need. Leave it to some Ivy Leaguers to figure out a better way.

Lastly, in celebration of Etch A Sketch's 45th anniversary this year, Ohio Art is releasing a plug and play version for the family television. Read more about it at Playthings Magazine.

Parents' Choice Chooses The Playmakers!

The prestigious Parents' Choice Foundation has awarded The Playmakers: Amazing Origins of Timeless Toys its gold award. Read the full review here.