Simple, Yet Intriguing

Luke, Chris and Mechanic Mechanic Matt report their progress on their 2026 challenges. Plus they play a fun game!

Games discussed: Flip 7, Charioteer, Set Dice, Inis, Spellbound (1981), Here Lies, Regicide, Ribbit.

Episode Chapters

00:00 - Intro

01:30 - Sophie’s Challenge Check-in

04:32 - Mechanic Mechanic Matt’s Challenge Check-in

21:43 - Luke & Chris’ Challenge Check-in

31:57 - Race Mechanism Discussion

38:56 - Luke Cuts, You Choose Game

46:16 - Next Week Teaser

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

We're joined by Mechanic Mechanic Matt to round out our Hargrave series by talking about all of the Wingspansions including the new Americas expansion! Hummingbirds are birds!

Episode Chapters

00:00 - Intro

02:11 - Matt's Hot Takes & Wyrmspan Discussion

06:26 - Oceania Board Comparison and Nectar

10:30 - European Expansion Discussion

13:20 - Oceania Expansion Discussion

15:42 - Wingspan Asia Discussion

21:06 - European Expansion Backtrack

23:49 - Fan-Designed Bird Promo Packs

28:26 - Americas Expansion Discussion

46:31 - Stonemaier Top Games Pinpoint Challenge

56:52 - Next Week Teaser

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

We're back to flower gifting and passive-aggressive communication with the BIG BOX version of wallet game Tussie Mussie!

Episode Chapters

00:00 - Intro

01:32 - What We Played This Week: Vegas Showdown

07:36 - Tussie Mussie Complete Collection Overview

09:51 - Orange Flowers Expansion

13:55 - Greenery Expansion

15:38 - Ribbons Expansion

19:28 - Flower Shoppe Solo Expansion

22:34 - Aha! Moments and Overall Thoughts

28:34 - Keep 3 Cut 3 Game: Big Box Games

40:21 - Next Week Teaser

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

We're walking on the beach! Conceptually! This week we're talking Elizabeth Hargrave's 2026 tile-laying, shell-bagging game: Sanibel!

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00:00 - Intro

00:40 - Hargrave Game Banter

08:33 - Sanibel Discussion

19:45 - Aha! Moments

31:27 - Gamer Recognize Game?

39:12 - Next Week Teaser

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

In anticipation of the reprint, the boys (of tile laying with fame) are playing the 1999 hidden gem Rheinländer!

Mechanic Mechanic Matt also helps them to dissect the history of pre-Reiner Knizia tile layers.

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00:00 Intro

1:36 Gaming History: Tile Laying Games

16:58 World Series of Board Gaming Trivia Game

23:04 Rheinländer Discussion

26:00 Matt’s aha Moment

35:39 Chris and Luke’s aha Moments

46:06 Rerelease Discussion

46:57 BGG Germany Trivia Game

52:52 Rheinländer Final Thoughts

55:34 Next Week Teaser

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

Chris and Luke gloriously return to the circus to talk about Spectaculum and how circuses are the same as trains!

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00:00 - Intro

01:17 - What We Played This Week - Unmatched Adventures TMNT

08:34 - Spectaculum Discussion

17:20 - aha! (and Oh My!) Moments

21:52 - BGG Trivia Game

29:31 - Gold Country Discussion and Spectaculum Final Thoughts

34:05 - Next Week Teaser

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

Chris and Luke are joined by special guest Alisha Giroux, artist and graphic designer of Gazebo, to chat about the game and the work that goes into board game art.

Later, they dig deep about nooks, patios, gazebos and dominos and how they all work within the world of Gazebo.

Alisha can be found at https://www.instagram.com/_asmeesh

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00:00 Intro

01:03 Interview and discussion with Alisha Giroux

18:43 Alisha's Upcoming projects

21:20 Tile Placement guessing game

33:01 Gazebo rules overview

46:00 aha! moments

01:02:00 Next week teaser

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

Chris, Luke and Mechanic Mechanic Matt look at and place their votes for the 5 awards and twenty nominated games for the upcoming boardgamearena.com awards!

Check it out and vote here: https://bga.li/awards2026

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0:00 - Intro

7:15 - Best Casual Game

17:20 - Best Regular Game

27:57 - Best Expert Game

41:28 - Best 2-Player Game

54:00 - Best Brain Teaser

1:03:45 - Overall Favourite

1:08:00 - Next Week Teaser

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

Wrapping up our Anniversaries trilogy (until our first 2026 play!), we talk Khan of Khans - a very light card game set in the world of Glorantha.

Luke also waxes loquacious about a trilogy of games - Nova Luna, Sanagi, and Framework.

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00:00 - Intro

00:52 - What We (Luke) Played This Week (Nova Luna, Sanagi, Framework)

13:39 - Khan of Khans discussion

25:31 - aha! moments

36:13 - How Has it Aged?

39:41 - Minigame (Top 5 Crowdfunded games on BGG)

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Hosted & Edited by Chris Lemieux & Luke O'Grady

Produced by Sophie Shin

Socials by Matt Winquist

Art by Samm Ruppersberger

Whose chateau will the king visit? Which nightclub will attract the most famous guests?? How are these connected???

All of your most burning questions answered on this week's episode.

Hosted by: Luke O'Grady & Chris Lemieux

Produced by: Sophie Shin

Socials: Matt Winquist

Artwork by: Samm Ruppersberger