Episodes

  • Episode 220 - Adam Blinkinsop on Echo from the Dark
    Dec 8 2025

    For the Season 11 finale, designer and developer Adam Blinkinsop (@blinks.itch.io) talks about development for GMT, his approach to game design, and his current project: Echo from the Dark. P500: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1144-echo-from-the-dark.aspx

    I have a game of my own up on Gamefound right now! Check out Queen of Spies, a solo game I co-designed with David Thompson: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/saltandpepper/queen-of-spies

    The Cracked Mirror: https://cmichpress.com/product/fyov-duet/

    Art & System: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/art-system-games-for-expanded-play

    Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations
    Check out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/

    All episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com

    Enjoy my work? Consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondsolitaire or getting me a "coffee" on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/beyondsolitaire

    Contact Me:
    Email: beyondsolitaire at gmail.com
    Twitter: @beyondsolitaire
    Instagram: @beyondsolitaire
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondsolitaire
    Website: www.beyondsolitaire.net

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Episode 219 - Ted Caya on Take
    Dec 1 2025

    This week on the pod, Ted Caya of Leder Games drops in to talk about his upcoming game, Take. Learn all about heists, why they are such oddly charming crimes, and how Ted translated that into board game form. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/take-game/take

    The Cracked Mirror: https://cmichpress.com/product/fyov-duet/

    Art & System: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/art-system-games-for-expanded-play

    Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations
    Check out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/

    All episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com

    Enjoy my work? Consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondsolitaire or getting me a "coffee" on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/beyondsolitaire

    Contact Me:
    Email: beyondsolitaire at gmail.com
    Twitter: @beyondsolitaire
    Instagram: @beyondsolitaire
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondsolitaire
    Website: www.beyondsolitaire.net

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    53 mins
  • Episode 218 - Jaysen Headley (Ezeekat) on Book + Game Coverage
    Nov 24 2025

    This week on the pod, Jaysen Headley, aka Ezeekat, drops in to talk about his live as both a booktoker and a maker of board game videos. And, more recently, his imprint with Bindery, which gives him the opportunity to bring cool books into the world.

    The Cracked Mirror: https://cmichpress.com/product/fyov-duet/

    Art & System: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/art-system-games-for-expanded-play

    Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations
    Check out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/

    All episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com

    Enjoy my work? Consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondsolitaire or getting me a "coffee" on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/beyondsolitaire

    Contact Me:
    Email: beyondsolitaire at gmail.com
    Twitter: @beyondsolitaire
    Instagram: @beyondsolitaire
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondsolitaire
    Website: www.beyondsolitaire.net

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Episode 217 - Carlos Ureta on the Art of Queen of Spies
    Nov 17 2025

    This week on the pod, David Thompson and I had the illustrator for our game, Carlos Ureta, on to discuss his work with us. Thanks to him and to his colleagues at Meeple Foundry, our game looks great, if I do say so myself. Find him on Instagram at @carlosu.g to see more of his work. Queen of Spies comes to Gamefound on Dec. 4 and can be found here: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/saltandpepper/queen-of-spies

    The Cracked Mirror: https://cmichpress.com/product/fyov-duet/

    Art & System: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/art-system-games-for-expanded-play

    Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations
    Check out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/

    All episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com

    Enjoy my work? Consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondsolitaire or getting me a "coffee" on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/beyondsolitaire

    Contact Me:
    Email: beyondsolitaire at gmail.com
    Twitter: @beyondsolitaire
    Instagram: @beyondsolitaire
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondsolitaire
    Website: www.beyondsolitaire.net

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    50 mins
  • Episode 216 - Fertessa Allyse on Designing for IPs
    Nov 10 2025

    This week on the pod, Fertessa Allyse (@fertessa.bsky.social), game designer and veteran of Prospero Hall, talks about how she got started in game design, what it's like to work on a large team, and how to design games for kids.

    The Cracked Mirror: https://cmichpress.com/product/fyov-duet/

    Art & System: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/art-system-games-for-expanded-play

    Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations
    Check out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/

    All episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com

    Enjoy my work? Consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondsolitaire or getting me a "coffee" on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/beyondsolitaire

    Contact Me:
    Email: beyondsolitaire at gmail.com
    Twitter: @beyondsolitaire
    Instagram: @beyondsolitaire
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondsolitaire
    Website: www.beyondsolitaire.net

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    51 mins
  • Episode 215 - Ricky Royal on Deckers and Oath
    Nov 3 2025

    Ricky is back on the podcast to talk about his recent work, our recent work together, and solo design in general! If you haven't checked out his channel recently, head over to Box of Delights on YouTube for some solo gaming goodness.

    The Cracked Mirror: https://cmichpress.com/product/fyov-duet/

    Art & System: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/art-system-games-for-expanded-play

    Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations
    Check out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/

    All episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com

    Enjoy my work? Consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondsolitaire or getting me a "coffee" on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/beyondsolitaire

    Contact Me:
    Email: beyondsolitaire at gmail.com
    Twitter: @beyondsolitaire
    Instagram: @beyondsolitaire
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondsolitaire
    Website: www.beyondsolitaire.net

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    59 mins
  • Episode 214 - Hannah Fair on Playing with the Anthropocene
    Oct 27 2025

    This week on the pod, Hannah Fair, who studies the way humans impact the environment, discusses an article she wrote about how islands and the humans who inhabit them are presented in board games. The article: https://islandstudiesjournal.org/article/84743-playing-with-the-anthropocene-board-game-imaginaries-of-islands-nature-and-empire

    Art & System: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/central-michigan-university-press/art-system-games-for-expanded-play

    Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations
    Check out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/

    All episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com

    Enjoy my work? Consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondsolitaire or getting me a "coffee" on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/beyondsolitaire

    Contact Me:
    Email: beyondsolitaire at gmail.com
    Twitter: @beyondsolitaire
    Instagram: @beyondsolitaire
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondsolitaire
    Website: www.beyondsolitaire.net

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    45 mins
  • Episode 213 - Gonzalo Maldonado on Salt & Pepper Games
    Oct 20 2025

    This week on the pod, Gonzalo Maldonado, one of the co-founders of Salt & Pepper Games, drops by to talk about how he became a game publisher and how his business has developed. (@saltandpeppergames.bsky.social)

    Salt & Pepper will be publishing David Thompson's and my second design, Queen of Spies. It goes live on Gamefound Dec. 4: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/saltandpepper/queen-of-spies

    Beyond Solitaire is proudly sponsored by Central Michigan University's Center for Learning Through Games and Simulations, where learning can be both playful and compelling. Check them out here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations
    Check out CMU's game offerings here: https://cmichpress.com/shop/

    Sign up for an online game design class here: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/colleges/liberal-arts-social-sciences/centers-institutes/center-for-learning-through-games-and-simulations/certificate-in-applied-game-design

    All episodes of my podcast are available here: https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com

    Enjoy my work? Consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/beyondsolitaire or getting me a "coffee" on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/beyondsolitaire

    Contact Me:
    Email: beyondsolitaire at gmail.com
    Twitter: @beyondsolitaire
    Instagram: @beyondsolitaire
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondsolitaire
    Website: www.beyondsolitaire.net

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    1 hr