Crumble Rules And Construction

OK, I just finished writing up the rules, complete with diagrams, for how to play. http://sites.google.com/site/crumblegame/the-rules. As promised, it's an abstract strategy game for two players.

If you don't want to wait for me to get the manufacturing in gear (coming real soon now), here's a quick way to make your own set of pieces out of construction paper. I recommend playing someplace that has no wind at all, not even the wind of sneezes or laughter. Do your best.

NOTE: Crumble pieces really do move around a lot during play. Make your moves gently, and squarify the playing field after each move.

Here are the instructions for your Crumble afternoon:

1. Run out to the pharmacy and pick up a pack of one color 8.5"x11" construction paper, one pack of another color, a ruler, and a pair of scissors.
2. Take 5 sheets of each color, draw a grid of 2"x2" squares on each sheet, and cut them out with the scissors. This will give you about 100 squares of the starting piece. A quick way to do this is to stack the 5 sheets together, draw the grid on only the top sheet, and cut all 5 sheets at once.
3. If you're feeling ambitious, glue each square of one color onto the back of a square of the other color. Do this before you start playing, or else you'll end up having to glue lots of little tiny pieces together instead of just these big ones. By the same token, spread the glue evenly over the whole surface of each square, or they may fall apart when you cut them into smaller pieces later.
4. Set up the starting position and begin to play!
5. Whenever you need a smaller piece, just fold one of the larger pieces in half, and cut along the crease with the scissors. You can get smaller and smaller pieces this way. After a few games, you won't have to cut any more pieces in half. When you're done, save all the pieces in a little bag for next time. Careful not to smush them!

There you have it. Crumble for everyone!

The above method is really for people who are very good at keeping a whole bunch of little pieces of paper organized properly on a table. If this isn't you, it's OK to admit it. The manufactured pieces will be thick enough and heavy enough that they'll be less likely to blow away, and they'll be easier to squarify after each move.

I encourage anyone who comes up with their own favorite way to make a Crumble set, to please share their experiences.