As a homeschooling mom I’m always on the look out for fun, challenging games that encourage thinking and reasoning skills. As a mom who loves to spend time with my kids I love to find games that are fun for both children and adults. Mastermind does both. It was also one of my favorite games when I was a kid.
Mastermind requires and hones deductive reasoning and logic skills. As a child it was one of my favorite games to play with my father. I loved being able to solve my father’s patterns and Mastermind was a game that my father truly enjoyed. I remember waiting to take my turn as all of us children would play Mastermind tournaments with dad.
The game pits a code maker against a code breaker. The ‘maker’ selects a pattern of colored pegs, then the ‘breaker’ tries to guess the pattern. After each guess the ‘maker’ scores the guess which provides the ‘breaker’ with information about the true pattern. Play continues until the ‘breaker’ is able to deduct the true pattern based on the information provided by his previous guesses and scores.
Players take turns being the maker and the breaker and the player who is able to guess the code in the least amount of turns is declared the winner. Of course our children love challenging each other to games of Mastermind (otherwise I wouldn’t be telling you about it), but it’s also a game that both Mark and I enjoy playing with our children as well as with each other.
Mastermind is a 2-player game designed for ages 8 and up, although our younger children do a fine job at being code breakers. The Attaché edition of Mastermind (shown) is terrific for travel. It comes in a zippered case with built-in, covered storage for all the game pieces.
Buy Mastermind
There are several editions of Mastermind available on the website. They range in price from $9 – $18.99.
Win Mastermind
Three (3) Raising Olives readers will win their own Mastermind Attaché edition.
To enter:
- Visit the Mastermind website, then come back here and tell me something you learned. I’d also love to know if you’ve ever played Mastermind.
Additional entries: (Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry)
- Follow Mastermind on Twitter @MastermindGame
- Tweet about this giveaway. Please copy and paste the following: I entered to win one of three @Mastermindgame from @RaisingOlives You can enter here: http://bit.ly/c3jIzO
- Post about this giveaway on Facebook
- Post about this giveaway on your blog
- Guess who is the reigning Mastermind champion in our home. (Solved in just two guesses. Choices are Me, Mark, Amber [14], Kaitlin [12], Matthew [11], Alyssa [9], Carter [8], Sadie [7] or Savannah [6])
Giveaway will end at 11:59pm on Thursday, September 23 and is open to US residents only.
G.S. Schwartz & Co. Inc. gave our family an Attaché edition of Mastermind to facilitate this review and will be providing games for all winners. All opinions are my own and I was not otherwise compensated for this review.
This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Cindy, Stephanie and Melissa.
The Mastermind champion in our house is 9 year old Alyssa who solved Matthew’s puzzle in two guesses.
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Hi, I'm Kimberly. 
I learned that mastermind is designed for ages 8 and up
I LOVE this game! I used to play it at my Granny’s house, and so you can guess how excited I was to find it in a goodwill store near us
I learned it was the 2009 best classic toy. Heres hoping I win….my DS7 is a game champ (can beat the pants off me with chess). He would love this one. I have strangly never heard of this game.
I learned at the Mastermind website that there are SIX editions of the game.
I don’t understand the “solved in two guesses” part. I am guessing that I get two guesses.
Guess one…..Amber
Guess two…..Mark
I posted the giveaway on FB.
I learned that there are many fun editions of Mastermind. I haven’t played this for many years and had forgotten about it.
I am following Mastermind on Twitter @MastermindGame.
I tweeted about the Mastermind giveaway.
I think you are reigning Mastermind champion.
Went to the website and have decided we would love this game. Our oldest son has a mind that would love nothing more than challenging his big daddy weav.
There are many editions of Mastermind, one being MASTERMIND® Tin Travel Edition. I have not played mastermind, my husband likes it though.
I think your current champion is Kaitlin.
I learned that an eight year old should be able to play this game.
This was one of the few games I played as a child and I loved it. I had completely forgotten about…thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I bet Alyssa surprised everyone and is the champion.
I posted about this giveaway on my Facebook.
I learned that the game is a code making/breaking strategy game. We have never played it! I confess, I find it difficult to discipline myself to play games!! I must do better. We also struggle to keep track of games, so I need to implement your idea of putting the pieces in a ziploc bag. Blessings!
I learned they have a kid version with animals! I did play Mastermind when I was a kid…in fact, I had to go to the emergency room because I stuck one of the pegs up my nose.
I guess Alyssa is the reigning champion.
I shared a link on FB (Laurie Nicole Griess)
I have never heard of this game (I grew up under a rock). I learned that it comes in different editions to grow with the kids!
I learned that MASTERMIND® was first conceived in 1970 by an Israeli Postmaster Telecommunications expert named Mordecai Meirowitz. Yes I have played Mastermind – really enjoyed it!
Follow Mastermind on Twitter
I will guess Carter!
I had no idea that Mastermind had continued to be so popular.
Knowing how competitive you are, I have to guess you!
learned there are lots of different editions, including classic and one for kids
I’ll guess that Carter completed the game in 2 guesses – And No, I have never played this game, but sounds fun
This is one of my favorite childhood games!
During my visit to their website, I found that Mastermind comes in a zippered case (which I *love*!), and that there is an advanced version (which I might have to get my children for Christmas).
Thanks for reminding me about this fun game!
[...] Giveaway By Michele, on September 23rd, 2010 Hurry on over to Raising Olives and read about the Mastermind giveaway. The contest ends tonight at midnight, so don’t [...]
I posted about your giveaway!
http://theexcellentwife.com/2010/09/23/mastermind-giveaway/
Here’s my Tweet!
http://twitter.com/excellentwife
And, I told my friends about your giveaway on Facebook!
(I <3 Mastermind!)
I don’t know how I never heard of this game before! If I don’t win I am going to buy one!
Following on twitter
tweeted about it
posted on fb
I think Alyssa is champ
Surely you are the Mastermind.
I looove this game! Could always use a 2nd one. The box is falling apart on the first and we’ve lost a few pegs.
I had no idea they had a kids’ version!