Puzzle

Puzzles for magazine

Puzzle for February

The Game: Puerto Rico

By Marcy Morelli, Puzzle Editor

About the Game

Puerto Rico is a classic Economic game created by Andreas Seyfarth. Although originally released in 2002,  it continues to remain a top ten game in the BoardGameGeek rankings.

Most players appreciate that there is very  little luck in Puerto Rico. Each player starts the game with one plantation and 3 doubloons. Each turn a player selects one of the available roles and executes it. Then in turn order each other player also executes the role. The player who selected the role also gets a bonus. The goal of the game is to build an engine of plantations and buildings that allows you to accumulate victory points. At the end of the game, each  player counts the number of victory points collected during the game, and also gains points for the buildings they have purchased.

Your position

This game occurred at Congress of Gamers in late 2016.

 

It is a little less than halfway through the game. On your turn, you were the Governor,  selected the Trader and accumulated a handsome sum of doubloons.

The next player selected the Builder action and purchased a tobacco storage.

Now it’s your turn to build something.

Here’s what your board currently looks like:

Other Players


 

The situation

 

Your Decision

You are a big fan of the 4 point building Guild Hall because you feel it is easiest to obtain the maximum bonus points. With your quarries, you have enough to buy it now. However, it’s a bit early to purchase it. Another alternative would be to buy a good three point building that would help you earn more victory points. This will set you back on funds, and it might take a bit to get more doubloons to purchase a 4 point building.

You consider the following buildings:

Which would you purchase?

  1. Factory
  2. Harbor
  3. Wharf
  4. Guild Hall

Puzzle for January 2017

The Game: Lords of Waterdeep

by Marcy Morelli, Puzzle Editor

About the Game

Lords of Waterdeep is a worker placement game for 2-5 players which was released in 2012. It has become a standard at open gaming events and tournaments.

Players gain points or resources through completing quests, constructing buildings, playing intrigue cards or having other players utilize the buildings you have constructed. At the end of 8 rounds of play, the player who has accrued the most points wins the game.

Your position

You are playing: Red

 

Your Lord is: Khelben Arlinsun who rewards Arcana and Warfare.

Your buildings: None

On hand you have:

  • Four Intrigue cards, two of which are mandatory quests
  • 5 money
  • 2 white cubes and 1 orange cube

About the Game

You are playing a 4 player game, currently in the 5th round

Black has completed four quests, two of which are plot quests

Blue has completed one quest, which is a plot quest

Green has completed three quests, none of which are plot quests

Current score:

  • Green: 39
  • Red: 36
  • Blue: 20
  • Black: 20

The situation:

With your first agent, you have played on the middle slot of CliffWatch Inn, and collected your Intrigue card. You are deciding which quest to take.

Since your lord card rewards Arcana quests, you are looking at the two available Arcana quests and trying to decide which to choose.

Expose Red Wizard’s Spies requires one white cube, one orange cube, four black cubes, and two money. It pays out 20 VPs and an intrigue card.

Explore Arghairon’s Tower requires one purple cube, two black cubes, and two money.  It is a plot quest which gives an immediate reward of 6 VPs, but also lets you draw an intrigue card whenever you play a purple cube.

Do you choose?

  1. Expose Red Wizard’s Spies
  2. Explore Arghairon’s Tower

Discuss your rationale.

For more about the game, view the BGG page at: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/110327/lords-waterdeep

All images copyright Wizards of the Coast