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TUESDAY 11 AUGUST 1970

223rd day - 142 days to come

To Felicia to sign the SEARCH contract. She asked if, because of I-S' financial problems, she could have 50% of the $250 closing fee. I agreed.
In view of the rave Jim Kraus gave PROFIT she wanted to ask for 5% royalty. I said "No." She said that 3M in licensing their "Ed-U-Playtional" line wants a ridiculously large guarantee of yearly royalties, so why shouldn't we be demanding. But I just didn't want to hit Jim Kraus over the head for liking my game and saying so. I agreed to ask for a larger advance, since they are holding it until 1972 probably.
I also mentioned to her that someone who had refused to come down to 4% had never sold them another game.
I offered to take care of the game records for her after I leave work, non-committal answer.
Felicia is doing some work with "Hallmark" on craft booklets, which they give out as a public service. I saw one, called "Kaleidoscope."
Felicia thinks I should get the new version of FITTING & PROPER ready and then we'll give it to X with a time limit for actual production,
Saw Allan Turoff's THE CODE-BREAKING GAME. 5x5 (I believe quadrilles are printed on pads. Players each (I think it is for 2, but more can play with each solving the code of the player on his right) write out a sentence with 25 letters, (some provision given for more or less) and places them in a set arrangement in the quadrille. The arrangements (5 or 6 I believe) are in a code book. Using the code book the opponents try to determine the sentence.
Allan there for a moment as I was leaving. Felicia had a letter from Bob Edwards which I copied:
Dear Felicia: August 5, 1970
We received your July report, and things certainly do look dead. It will be interesting to see how many and what kind of new games hit the market in August.
Thanks for the picture taken at the "Fun and Games Show"-- I'm anxious to hear your reaction to the show.
Please rush the two puzzles to me. Our overall plan, which unfortunately is still incomplete and waiting management ap- proval, calls for puzzle/game items (like Sid's RIGHT CONNECTIONS) as the first entry. Any and all puzzles which you come across are of immediate interest. By the way, we are still having dif- ficulties with TRIP -- the rules are too vague and open to in- dividual interpretation. Several people are trying to clarify and simplify the rules, but if that fails I will send it back for its creator to improve. We think there is something great there, but are having trouble determining exactly what it is.
PSYCH-OUT is on the way; an earlier memo explains this. Your closing comment is right - - we are not currently in-
(cont. on 8/10)

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transcription
English TUESDAY 11 AUGUST 1970
223rd day - 142 days to come


To Felicia to sign the SEARCH contract. She asked if, because
of I-S' financial problems, she could have 50%
of the $250 closing fee. I agreed.
In view of the rave Jim Kraus gave PROFIT she wanted to
ask for 5% royalty. I said "No." She said that 3M in
licensing their "Ed-U-Playtional" line wants a ridiculously
large guarantee of yearly royalties, so why shouldn't we
be demanding. But I just didn't want to hit Jim Kraus
over the head for liking my game and saying so. I agreed
to ask for a larger advance, since they are holding it
until 1972 probably.
I also mentioned to her that someone who had refused to
come down to 4% had never sold them another game.
I offered to take care of the game records for her after I leave
work, non-committal answer.
Felicia is doing some work with "Hallmark" on craft booklets,
which they give out as a public service. I saw one, called
"Kaleidoscope."
Felicia thinks I should get the new version of FITTING & PROPER
ready and then we'll give it to X with a time limit for
actual production,
Saw Allan Turoff's THE CODE-BREAKING GAME. 5x5 (I
believe quadrilles are printed on pads. Players each (I think
it is for 2, but more can play with each solving the code
of the player on his right) write out a sentence with 25
letters, (some provision given for more or less) and
places them in a set arrangement in the quadrille. The
arrangements (5 or 6 I believe) are in a code book.
Using the code book the opponents try to determine the
sentence.
Allan there for a moment as I was leaving.
Felicia had a letter from Bob Edwards which I copied:
Dear Felicia: August 5, 1970
We received your July report, and things certainly do look
dead. It will be interesting to see how many and what kind of
new games hit the market in August.
Thanks for the picture taken at the "Fun and Games Show"--
I'm anxious to hear your reaction to the show.
Please rush the two puzzles to me. Our overall plan, which
unfortunately is still incomplete and waiting management ap-
proval, calls for puzzle/game items (like Sid's RIGHT CONNECTIONS)
as the first entry. Any and all puzzles which you come across
are of immediate interest. By the way, we are still having dif-
ficulties with TRIP -- the rules are too vague and open to in-
dividual interpretation. Several people are trying to clarify and
simplify the rules, but if that fails I will send it back for its
creator to improve. We think there is something great there, but
are having trouble determining exactly what it is.
PSYCH-OUT is on the way; an earlier memo explains this.
Your closing comment is right - - we are not currently in-
(cont. on 8/10)
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