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This is the third Chain Puzzle in the Tabletop Games series, in which all puzzles are themed around board games, card games, tile games, and the like. The answer to this puzzle is a thematic word or phrase. The solver whose answer is awarded the green checkmark has first refusal on the opportunity to create the next puzzle in the series, which must somehow incorporate the answer to this puzzle somewhere within its construction. The solver is under no obligation to create the next puzzle - in the event that the solver does not wish to take up this opportunity, the puzzle's setter may take up the offer of a willing substitute setter or choose to continue the chain themselves.


The weekly neighbourhood games night had come around again quite quickly, and I found myself once more at my friend's house and wondering what we would be playing that evening.

"Ah, everyone's here now," said my friend as I entered. "Let me tell you all about my day out in London yesterday..."

I started my day at the SPA in TEMPLE, where I'd stayed the night. From there I made a quick trip to a PHARMACY on the EMBANKMENT, before an appointment at the OPTICIANS on TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD. After that I realised I'd skipped breakfast, so picked up a bite to eat from a HYPERMARKET in HOLBORN.

Next, I had an appointment for my nails in a SALON on TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD (again), and afterwards I couldn't resist popping in to my favourite TAKEAWAY in WARREN STREET to grab a cheeky brunch.

Remembering I needed to buy my mum a birthday gift, I hightailed it to an OFF-LICENCE in LEICESTER SQUARE for a bottle of wine. But they didn't have her favourite in stock, so I had to travel to a NEWSAGENT in GREEN PARK as well. After that I met her at a STEAKHOUSE in the BAKER STREET area for lunch and we had a jolly nice time!

In the afternoon, I made my way to the EMBASSY in PADDINGTON to pick up a travel visa, then pottered round a CHARITY SHOP by NOTTING HILL GATE. Of course I couldn't resist having a look around the beautiful ANTIQUE STORE on QUEENSWAY, so I nipped in just before closing time, then returned to NOTTING HILL GATE to visit the LIBRARY. Finally, I made my way to a PUB, which of course was in..."

"Mornington Crescent!" I cried. My friend shook her head. "Nope, VICTORIA, I'm afraid... And that was my day."

I considered her story for a while but had to concede. "I'm sorry - I haven't a clue," said I.

Do you?

TASK: The name of a board game is concealed in my friend's itinerary for the day - can you read between the lines and find it?


Chain Puzzles are a novel approach to puzzle series creation, in which the solver of the previous puzzle in the chain becomes the setter of the next.

The answer to the previous puzzle (which provided the theme for this one) was:

MORNINGTON CRESCENT

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1 Answer 1

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If you

Take the bold, capitalized words as the names of underground stations in London, and follow the path the story takes us on a tube map of London, we get the following (starting at TEMPLE):
enter image description here

Red is 1st paragraph, green 2nd, blue 3rd, purple 4th + 5th

So each paragraph represents a letter, and reading them in order gives us C L U E

So the answer is

The board game Clue (sometimes called Cluedo)

The significance of

the non-bold, capitalized shops was found by @jafe in chat:
the first letters spell "places, not shops" backwards

Additional easter eggs / hints:

- The title 'Down and out in London'. Down-and-out usually describes an impoverished person, but in this context, we have to take it more literally: "Down" into the underground, and "out" of it, repeatedly.
- 'I'm sorry - I haven't a clue' is 1) the name of the game show where 'Mornington Crescent' is played and 2) the narrator's friend must've chuckled when they heard that, since "Clue" is literally the answer to the puzzle :)

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  • $\begingroup$ Great work Lukas :) There's a checkmark on its way for you. Would you care to explain another couple of hidden Easter Eggs? Namely (i) the title ('down and out') and (ii) the double-significance of "I'm sorry - I haven't a clue"? $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Oct 26, 2020 at 14:42
  • $\begingroup$ Brilliant - now a perfect answer :) Over to you for the next puzzle in the series (if you like)! $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Oct 26, 2020 at 14:58
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    $\begingroup$ @Stiv Thanks! I'm happy to post the next puzzle in the series! $\endgroup$ Oct 26, 2020 at 15:03

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