Game:Treasure Hunt

The Cadaco-Ellis game manufacturer, based in Chicago after a start in California, made some very high-quality and unique games during the 20th century. The firm had much success with the game Treasure Hunt in 1940. It may sound like a boring spelling game, but Treasure Hunt describes itself as "active, vigorous, and hilarious." Simply, the dealer yells dig and each player turns up one card with a "thing" printed on it, such as "a means of transportation." When "dig" is called, all players must sort through the central pile of alphabet letters to find correct ones to spell objects that fulfill the definition on their card. It does sound fast and furious, and the instructions specify "There are no bonuses paid to the player who allows an opponent to grab his letter from the pile first." Points are scored with "pieces of eight," so the whole game resembles a kind of treasure hunt.