Hey, Good Game

How FreeCell Snuck Its Way Into Millions of PCs

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Episode 29: Jim Horne is the creator of Microsoft FreeCell and xwordinfo.com. Jim shares his journey from early programming to joining Microsoft in 1988, where he secretly added FreeCell to Windows. 

His passion for crosswords led to writing for the New York Times and developing xwordinfo.com. Jim discusses his time at Microsoft, including sharing an office wall with Steve Ballmer, and the serendipitous nature of his career. He touches on the "unsolvable" FreeCell game and his recent collaboration on "I'm Squeezy." Throughout, Jim highlights the intersection of music and programming, offering insights into early computing, casual games, and the crossword community, demonstrating how pursuing interests can lead to unexpected opportunities.


Check out Jim's resources:
https://www.xwordinfo.com
https://freecell.org/
Wordplay
https://imsqueezy.com

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  • (00:00) - Jim Horne and His Musical Background
  • (01:44) - Jim Horne's Journey to Microsoft and FreeCell
  • (03:35) - The Creation and Popularity of FreeCell
  • (05:11) - Jim's Musical Adventures and Microsoft Theater
  • (06:41) - Jim's Early Love for Games and Programming
  • (10:30) - The FreeCell Phenomenon and Shareware Success
  • (19:22) - Blogging and Crossword Puzzles with The New York Times
  • (22:29) - Creating XWord Info and the Crossword Community
  • (28:44) - The Legacy of FreeCell and New Ventures
  • (34:02) - Advice for Aspiring Game Creators

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    Check out our brainy games:

    Sumplete - https://sumplete.com
    Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.com
    Mathler - https://mathler.com
    Crosswordle - https://crosswordle.com
    Sudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.com
    Hitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.com
    Wordga - https://wordga.com

    ...more
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    Hey, Good GameBy Nate Kadlac, Aaron Kardell, Joseph Rueter