Miscellany: Mad Gab Travel Edition

Shopping at Chicago's Navy Pier is, in many ways, like rolling a pair of loaded dice - some stores are cool, but the vast majority of shops sell trinkets and clothing that have dubious value. The standout shops for me were a magic trick shop (really high-end magic tricks, by the way - no gag gifts there) and a game store. At the game store, I got a travel tin containing "Mad Gab," a light party-style game for 2-6 people.

It's a simple concept best illustrated with an example. What do the following words mean to you?

Bun Ann Hasp Lit

If you said "Banana Split," then you're on your way to becoming a master "Mad Gab" player. Players take turns trying to sound out nonsensical combinations of words that happen to sound like an everyday name or phrase. The faster you solve puzzles, the more points you get.

The travel tin I bought contains about 400 puzzles on 100 cards, which should last for a few good hours of solid play. One problem with this type of game is that as players memorize clues, it gets stale. Still, for about $10, it's a good way to pass time in the back seat of a car or in an airplane.