Games Talk

  Advanced Bridge is a competitive version of the classic card game Bridge, meant for skilled players.   What is the goal of the game? The goal of the game is to get the most points, winning two games before the other team can.   I don’t understand how to play Bridge. What do I do? Start by playing Bridge [link: https://games.aarp.org/games/bridge] at AARP Games, which will ease you into the terminology and rules of the game. When you understand the basics, come back to Advanced Bridge to test your skills!   Who is my partner in Advanced Bridge? Your partner is a skilled computer-controlled player.   Who are my opponents in Advanced Bridge? Your opponents are skilled computer-controlled players, as well.   I don’t want the game to give me tips. Can I turn that feature off? Yes. On the top bar, there is a toggle for “Enable tips” that you can click on and off.   Can I see a bidding recap? Yes. Click the menu button in the top right of the screen. From

This about a minor annoyance.  After playing Let’s Crossword, a score pops up.  One of the numbers shows “Your Contribution”.  My contribution is ALWAYS 100% as I do the whole crossword without assistance.  However, the contribution usually shows another lower number, like 70% and one time it was 20%.   The word “Contribution": is obviously not correct.   Even if my score is low because I took a long time, my contribution is always 100%.

What is 2 Minute Mini Crossword? 2 Minute Mini Crossword is a daily crossword game that’s perfect for crossword lovers looking for a quick fix. It’s a simple, small version of a larger crossword with easy answers and just 10 clues to solve. It’s perfect if you’re on the go or taking a quick break!   How do I start? On the home screen, you’ll see today’s game – and puzzles from previous days. Click on any of them to get started.   How do I play? Click on a box to select it and click it again to switch from vertical to horizontal (and back again). Whichever clue you’ve selected will be highlighted in the list on the right-hand side of the screen. Type your answer and move on to the next clue!   Do I need to solve the clues in order? No. In fact, starting with the clues you know will start to fill in the grid, making future answers easier to figure out!   What happens if I get a clue wrong? By default, the game doesn’t let you know if you guessed incorrectly. You’ll li

What is Hex Puzzle Adventure? Hex Puzzle Adventure is a puzzle game that’s as relaxing and satisfying as it is challenging. Match like-colored hexagonal pieces on a hexagonal board to remove as many stacks as you can!   What is the goal of the game? The goal of the game is to remove enough stacks to beat the level and move on to the next one.   How do I beat a level? To beat a level, place two stacks next to each other on the board with the same color piece at the top. The pieces will automatically jump to form one larger stack. When the stack is ten or more pieces, that color will be removed from the game, adding that many points to your total. When your total reaches your goal, you beat the level.   Can I lose? Yes. If you are unable to place a stack due to a full board, you lose a life.   How do lives/hearts work? You will start the game with five lives, or hearts. Every time you fail a level, you lose a life. If you lose all five lives, you won’t be able to play

Mahjongg seems to be everywhere lately—from online games to local groups getting together to play. Are you already a fan, just learning, or wondering what all the excitement is about? Do you prefer playing online or around a table with friends? Share how you got started, your favorite way to play, or your best advice for someone who wants to learn!

Pinochle is a trick-taking card game played in teams, combining bidding, melding, and strategic play.   How do I win in Pinochle? Your team must reach a target score (usually 150 points) through melds and tricks.   What is a meld in Pinochle? A meld is a combination of cards that scores points before trick-taking begins. Examples include runs, marriages, and pinochles.   What is a pinochle? A pinochle is a meld made of the Jack of Diamonds and Queen of Spades.   How is trump declared? Trump is declared by the highest bidder, who must have a marriage (King and Queen) in that suit.   What happens if a team fails to make their bid? They lose the bid amount in points, which can be a major setback.   Can I play Pinochle solo? Yes, there are solo variants, but traditional Pinochle is played with four players in two teams.   What is double-deck Pinochle? Double-deck Pinochle uses two Pinochle decks combined, increasing the number of cards and complexity. &nb

I can’t believe that it AARP is making me watch an almost 10 minute video ad before I can play Today’s Hurdle.  I thought there was a 30 second limit on these things.Ridiculous!

What is your go-to game when you only have 15–20 minutes to play, and what makes it perfect for quick play sessions?   Did you find this post helpful?Give it a kudo to let us know—it helps others discover valuable content too.

Pinochle is a classic card game that rewards clever bidding and smart play. Meld combinations for points, win tricks with high cards, and work with your partner to reach the winning score. Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned player, Pinochle offers a deep and rewarding experience.   Want to learn more?  Check out our FAQ: What-is-Pinochle   

I am so sick of the ridiculous ads that show while trying to play games. They are distracting and horrible when on the side of your screen; absolutely none of them would ever make me click on the link out of interest. People moving fast, putting down plants, walking around a rug that looks like a hole in the ground, what is that??? Now, in between almost ever game when attempting to start a new one, a woman in the kitchen cooking and dancing around and a man comes to the door with flowers, so she picks up her wet wipe package and starts cleaning under her arms before she goes to greet him.  Give us a break please.  I pay for AARP and don't choose to see this nonsense.  AT LEAST please cut down on them.  They are awful and some of the dumbest and insulting I've ever seen.  You are such a good site AARP, but wow, those ads have got to go. 

Since the last conversation was closed without resolution, I would like to open this up again. I am now getting the error message on both Google Chrome and Apple Safari, where before it was just Chrome. It is NOT an issue of clearing cache. My Macbook just rebooted and I’m getting this error on both browsers now. I have a background/career in software development and I know this can be fixed by a programmer if they would just be assigned the task. Also note that this happens only on the Daily Puzzle that I”ve seen. The Mini Crossword page that I also do every day is working fine, if that helps the developer.   

You know there's something fishy going on when the high score at midnight is over 5000 & the same names always have the highest scores. This is so unfair & dishonest of aarp. I will just play straight through arkadium rather than play through aarp. For christ sakes, make it equal.

I posted a few weeks ago about this but it seems to have disappeared.  In early August I scored 25M on Jewel Shuffle.  It never posted to the leaderboard.  I am not a regular gamer but I have never found that there is a time frame to complete the game.  Today I scored 10M and again it did not post.  Anyone else have issues like this?  It was posting for me earlier but ever since I scored above 4M it has not posted.  

I would like to understand why my score, at the first of the month, is never anywhere near the leader board scores. I'm usually in the list or close. Today they were all at 311,000+ and I only scored 11,000 some. Why does my score start low every month, but not others? I play every day.

We have quite a few versions of Mahjongg to play, and we are curious if you have a favorite one you play here?  Tell us your favorites and how often you play!  

AARP knows by now how annoying those video ads are to people trying to relax and play games. But obviously they don't care. It's very distracting and hard to focus on the game when you have an ad jumping out at you. 

Games keep starting after I do about 6 levels.  Doesn’t matter the time of day.   Very frustrating.

What is Spades? Spades is a trick-taking card game played in teams of two, using a full 52-card deck. How do I win? Your team must reach the winning score by meeting your bids and avoiding penalties. What if I need a rules refresher? Click “rules” on the right side of the screen. What’s a trick? A trick is a round where each player plays one card. The highest card of the lead suit wins—unless a spade is played. Can I play with friends? Yes. You can play against computer opponents or invite friends to private tables. You can also play against human opponents you don’t know. What happens if I overbid? If your team fails to meet its bid, you lose points equal to the bid. What are bags? Bags are extra tricks won beyond your bid. Accumulating too many bags results in a penalty. Can I bid Nil and still win? Yes, Nil bids can earn bonus points if successful, but they are risky. You stand to win 100 points if your Nil bid succeeds, but can lose 100 points if it fails. How is the trump suit det

I just got this game and it is already freezing. I can not load level two?? 

Check out the game PRESS YOUR LUCK, folks. There is a score of over 1.1 quintillion posted. That is an impossible score and yet, there it is. It can not be achieved through legitimate play of the game. It can only be achieved through somehow cheating the application or hacking the system. The game is patterned after the game show. To achieve this score three things would have to take place:(1) The “WHAMMY” would have to be disabled.(2) The ability to control where you land would have to be activated.(3) One would have to have days, maybe weeks, maybe months to attain a score that high.Why play the game if spurious players are going to be allowed to post scores unattainable by anyone else?

My total score for Two Minute Crossword for this month has disappeared, except for today’s score. I was logged in. What happened?

What is Categories? Categories is a word-matching puzzle game where you are presented with a grid and must combine words into the categories they fit into. Categories might be palindromes, or homophones, or just words that all deal with the same topic, like a sport. Combine all the words correctly to win!   How do I start? From the home screen, click “Daily Puzzle” for today’s three games, or “500 Levels” to play additional puzzles.   How do I play? Gameplay is straightforward: choose the grid size you’d like to play and, when you see the grid, click the words that you think fit into a category. When you’re confident, click “submit.” If you’re not correct, you’ll lose one of your chances. If you are correct, those words will be removed from the grid.   How do I know that a group of words fit into a category? Categories can be any group of words that fit together. Maybe they’re a group of palindromes or homophones; perhaps they’re a group of words that all have to do with

What is Room Escape? Room Escape is a point-and-click game where you find yourself stuck in a room – and you have to get out. Explore every nook and cranny, solve puzzles and combination locks, and do what you need to do to find the key to leave.   How do I play? All you need for Room Escape is a mouse (or your finger, if you’re playing on a tablet or phone). Click on any item of interest (a backpack, a plant, a couch, and so on) to zoom into that item. Click again to interact with it. A helpful black bar at the bottom of the screen will give you context clues when you click – maybe there’s nothing to see here, or you need an item to interact with what you’re clicking on. The goal is to solve enough puzzles to get a key that unlocks the front door.   What do I do with items? While exploring – or after solving a puzzle – you might be presented with an item like a knife, screwdriver, or piece of paper with a clue for another puzzle. Click on the item and it will move to your in

Thank you for being part of the AARP Games community! To make room for new experiences and fresh challenges, we'll be retiring two games from our collection.On September 8, Swipe City and Word Clash will no longer be available to play.If either game is one of your favorites, be sure to enjoy a few more rounds before they're gone. Looking for something new? Visit the AARP Games page to discover the latest game releases, or revisit popular favorites like 2 Minute Mini Crossword and Mahjongg Solitaire.Thanks for playing with us and making AARP Games such a fun community. We look forward to seeing you in your next favorite game!

Garden Bloom is a Match 3 game where you match different color flowers. The better you do, the more opportunities you have to repair Lucy’s dilapidated garden in between levels!   What is the goal of the game? The goal of the game is to complete each level by succeeding in the level’s goals. Each level has different goals – a score to reach, a certain number of flowers to clear – and you have a certain number of moves to complete them. The fewer moves you need to reach your goals, the more stars you get.   When do I beat a level?You beat a level if you complete the goals – which are listed on the left-hand side of the screen – before you run out of moves.   What are stars for? When you complete a level, you’ll get stars – more if you complete it quickly. In between each level, you can use those stars to help repair Lucy’s garden.   What happens if I run out of moves? If you run out of moves, you lose one heart. You start the game with five hearts.   What happen