At last, the Mayor of New York City is hot again. Not since John Lindsay have we been so blessed.

A tie: I once sold Tim Meadows a refrigerator lightbulb. My mom came across Paul Newman in a parking lot once, but left him alone. My dad had just been talking about how celebrities must get annoyed by people pestering them. Turns out Newman's car was broken down. She has never forgiven my dad.

Won’t do a big thread of what I wrote this year because there’s not that much of it, but I am quite proud of this one

Sharing the things I've written over the past year that I'm proud of is difficult for me. I had one piece of board game criticism blow up last month, which was wonderful, but otherwise...nothing gets read, really. I am writing for myself, and I'm now old enough that that is simply dispiriting.

Make a Bond film casual: A View to a Kill (as in the body of water)

It's no That's My Bush, but it was a strange time.

Extremely funny to me that they couldn't be bothered to remove the second "The"

Since the New York Public Library just announced that James was the most-checked out book of the year, I'll take the opportunity to plug my essay about it from way back in January, which is one of my favorite things I've ever written. www.andrewjacksonlynch.com/the-cost-of-...

I wrote about Exploring Calvin & Hobbes at the @fenimoreartmuseum.bsky.social, and how unusual it is to have a thing that is just the thing itself. www.andrewjacksonlynch.com/the-cost-of-a-basket-of-fish/2025/12/14/exploring-calvin-amp-hobbes-at-the-fenimore-art-museum

@d20plusmodifier.bsky.social Got a random question for you. I was just signing onto the Root app and your trees caught my eye. Is Bill Watterson a big influence for you? Your trees are C&H-coded.

I wrote about Exploring Calvin & Hobbes at the @fenimoreartmuseum.bsky.social, and how unusual it is to have a thing that is just the thing itself. www.andrewjacksonlynch.com/the-cost-of-a-basket-of-fish/2025/12/14/exploring-calvin-amp-hobbes-at-the-fenimore-art-museum

Herd is now finally out. Available as a physical game and as print files. Physical version is also part of the Letibus Bundle for 10% off. There are 100 free community copies of print files on Itch.io. blazgracar.com/herd

New on @meeplemountain.com today, a review of Somnia from @dnlnwmn.bsky.social. I wrote this review a month ago, so it's been fun to see the game get so much love as a result of @shutupshow.bsky.social's coverage the last week. www.meeplemountain.com/reviews/somn...

This gets at the biggest issue with AI: it erodes all trust.

I spent a month working on an article to say what Dan says in four sentences.

AI generated imagery and text are a threat to what makes board games worthwhile. In this piece, Andrew explains Meeple Mountain’s policy. www.meeplemountain.com/articles/is-... #BoardGames #AIArt #AIArtinBoardGames #BoardGameDesign #EthicsinBoardGaming

Over the last month, I've been working on this essay about the use of AI art in board games, "Is This Really What We Want?" Though it is contextually specific, it is also a reflection of my wider thoughts on the use of AI art and writing in creative contexts. www.meeplemountain.com/articles/is-...

Over the last month, I've been working on this essay about the use of AI art in board games, "Is This Really What We Want?" Though it is contextually specific, it is also a reflection of my wider thoughts on the use of AI art and writing in creative contexts. www.meeplemountain.com/articles/is-...

I was struggling to think of what my answer would be but this is what my answer would be.

I've got a lengthy op-ed on AI use in board games coming out on Monday. No idea if it'll make any sort of splash in the community, but I find myself excited in a way I haven't been in a while.

This is also true of board games. If you come to the store and request a copy of whatever niche game, it immediately puts it on our radar and increases the chances that we'll order more.

When I officiated my friends Sam and Tim's wedding, I quoted from The Real Thing. It remains to my mind the play that most fundamentally understands relationships, for good and for ill.

Important enough that I think it's worth translating: "We should consider everything AI produces a hallucination. Some of them may appear factually accurate. For the model, that isn't a relative distinction."

If you're considering Conservas for yourself or for others, I can vouch for its excellence. Fun to play, beautifully produced, and a reminder that profound statements can come in unpretentious packaging. www.meeplemountain.com/reviews/cons...

Crownfell is live on The Game Crafter today, and I can personally vouch for its quality. This is a fast-playing two-player abstract game with tense gameplay and great art, and you can read my review on Meeple Mountain for more. www.meeplemountain.com/reviews/crow...

I know I will be in Finland and I shouldn't complain, but I remain sad I won't be at the Indie Games Night Market and you should be sad too.

Of the top of my head, in alphabetical order: Blood on the Clocktower Bohnanza The Crew: Mission Deep Sea Earthborne Rangers High Tide Lost Cities Oh Hell Race for the Galaxy Summoner Wars Tichu

In all seriousness, I think this cover is meant to place the book within a specific literary tradition. It wants to harken back to the 1960s and 70s.

This is excellent. So is the album. As JP himself implies, it has been a while since I heard a pop album that felt like it stood out as an object of bliss *and* contemplation. This and Stromae's last album. Masterpieces both.

I wrote about Rosalía's "Lux," martyrdom, and our collective gastrointestinal health johnpaulbrammer.substack.com/p/eat-me

Me, asleep on a plane, being woken up by the attendant asking if I want a bag of nuts

A new review up on @meeplemountain.com this morning, for the excellent Crownfell from @weheart.games. This is a sharp two-player abstract with some killer art. www.meeplemountain.com/reviews/crow...

Conversely, it would be a terrible time to *be* the NYT ombudsman.

What. A. Photo.

I once emailed Dr. McMillan Cottom an article from NYRB about country music and race, assuming she had probably come across it already. She replied by thanking me and telling me she hadn't seen it. I consider this, without exaggeration, a significant achievement in my life.

The best movie not from this year that was new to me was either SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT (effortlessly hilarious, and more honest about relationships than most movies made in the 70 years since), APOCALYPSE NOW (not a personal favorite, but a staggering thing to behold), or

The games listed at PAXU's Indie Market look so cool that I'm sad I will be *in Finland* during the convention.

Why on earth have Synapse Games decided to continue packaging Compile: Main 1 in that awful clamshell case? They changed it for Compile: Main 2! It's so much better for both retailers and customers!

You'd think after Trump that they'd have learnt this lesson already.

It's really too bad Fryx Games used AI art for Kingdom Legacy. I picked up a review copy at Essen without realizing the art was AI, started playing it, and the game is excellent.

I have learnt so much about the paleontology community today as a result of all of Asher's posts and reposts on the affirmation of Nanotyrannus. Spend about ten-to-fifteen minutes reading around to get caught up and you too will find Mark's post extremely funny.

When I started working at a hotel that employed a large group of Egyptian refugees, largely in other parts of the hotel, I responded by learning a little Arabic. Challenge people to be curious, my dude.

Love when contemporary news events give me an opportunity to tell my partner about the Night of the Long Knives.

Two years ago, I saw Brian d'Arcy James in Adam Guettel's musical adaptation of Days of Wine and Roses. Yes, I should include the bookwriter's name. No, I don't remember who it was. No, it doesn't matter, the book was abysmal.

Wait has anyone made a "What would Barthes think of AI" joke yet

If you’re like me, you sat up on your chair when S-tier character actor Kevin Tighe turned up in ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER. I had a wonderful conversation with him about it for The Reveal: thereveal.film/interview-ke...

@lainenooney.bsky.social The "Prospective Ph.D." page on your website rocks. Just thought you should know that.

I think this looks *very* cool.

Burned is a terrific two-player hidden-movement game. It has a new Gamecrafter campaign that's launching today, and you should absolutely take a look! Here's hoping third time's the charm. And shoutout to @sowronggames.bsky.social for putting it on my radar. www.meeplemountain.com/reviews/burn...