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3/20
21 THURSDAY - MARCH 1974
FIRST DAY OF SPRING - 80TH DAY - 285 DAYS TO COME

Went over the AGOG contract from Nelson, making the changes that
Gream Graeme Levin wrote in his letter rcd. 3/19, plus two other
changes. Dana got repros of the contract at Boston Post Road.
Called Martin Gardner to ask if he thought that selling the British and
other foreign rights would effect paper back sale, particularly to
Dover. He feels that Dover might offer me less because of the British
rights - but wouldn't be interested in any other foreign rights.
Martin said that he has some contracts with paperback editors. As
soon as I get back the American (U.S. & Canada) rights, Martin will call
them for me. I offered him an agent's fee, which he refused with thanks.
I asked Martin about the provision that all the money going to Graeme
as my agent. Martin said that that is the usual procedure.
Sent the contract back to Graeme Levin together with a letter. Men-
tioned some changes in AGOG. Also ESCAPE FROM COLDIZ COLDITZ and
"the small book containing twenty 2-player games."

Rcd. a card from Phil Cohen asking some questions about TROMINO GO
and whether he had my permission to give the rules in NOST-ALGIA.

Visit from Claude, Anne, and Earl.
Claude brought his game TRAP DOOR. There is an 8x8 field with
a spinal path - the spaces numbered. One player chooses a card
with certain spaces - abt. 17 - marked as "trap doors." [Actually
Claude plans it as a mechanical game. the upper track has
holes in all the spaces except the start and finish spaces. An
insert has about 17 holes and can be placed in 8 different ori-
entations. When in normal position the holes are offset so that
the marble markers don't fall thru. When a player's marble is
over a "trap door" the insert is pushed so that the holes line
up and the marble falls thru. How are the lower holes kept secret?]
The player choosing the card is the "leader." He starts and throws
two dice. He can move the total, either die, or not at all. He
may not move onto a "trap door." The other players in turn throw
one die. They may either move or not. [Claude at first had a
rule that if a player threw the die he had to move it, but I
pointed out that this made the game rather meaningless.] If the
player moves safely he can throw the die again, etc. until
he either chooses not to move or he lands on a "trap door." A
player landing on a "trap door" must start over on his next
turn. Whoever reaches the center of the spiral first wins.
The "leader" must reach the end by exact count. Another player
can have a higher throw.

I showed the INTERSECTION and STEPPING STONES and they were
fairly popular. I asked Claude if Howard Wexler would like
them and Claude said that they were "too good for him."

I asked Claude about his game MACABRE. There is a 3 by 3
field with arrows going in one direction or another between each
pair. Players have markers that move following the arrows.
Opponents are captured by moving into a space with them. Win
by capturing all the opponents pcs. or by prohibiting him from
(cont. on 3/20)