wdym it's not "even cowgirls sing the blues"

November 14, 2024 11:31 AM

Play the Hidden Book Game.

Prizes appear to be UK only, but the game is available everywhere. Books seem to trend toward popular and classic books, as defined by UK booksellers; a skim of the BBC Big Read list or similar might be helpful.

Past years (with answers!) are also available.

posted by Why Is The World In Love Again? (22 comments total)

7/20 so far. I thought the singing group clue was particularly clever.
posted by Ishbadiddle at 12:06 PM on November 14, 2024

oh, almost forgot: here's how to use the details tag to hide spoilers behind a click, if people are inclined to swap clues.
posted by Why Is The World In Love Again? at 12:13 PM on November 14, 2024 [3 favorites]

Cute, but much too hard for me.
posted by JanetLand at 12:52 PM on November 14, 2024 [4 favorites]

I really want to be way better at these than I am. 5/20 and I don't imagine getting any more.
posted by jacquilynne at 12:54 PM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

I'm well read but when I try to play things like this it's like I've never read a single book in my life. Just like how when I play Wordle I forget every five letter word that I know. They're just gone.
posted by urbanlenny at 1:24 PM on November 14, 2024 [8 favorites]

I'm at 8/20 but I've gotten 2 this way:

[spoiler? but not much of one?]

without knowing there were books by those titles!

I hesitated to put that behind a spoiler warning, but for a third one ...

[another spoiler? but also not much of one?]

even reading that the singing group clue was clever was a significant clue for me!

posted by Wobbuffet at 1:26 PM on November 14, 2024 [2 favorites]

Stopping at 16/20 because if I stare at it longer, I'll get a headache and I'm still very annoyed by the ACD clue and by the way it wouldn't take my answer for the 4 singers. Spelling? What's speling?

The box clue was easy for me because I disliked that book so much and book clubs kept picking it.

Missing Children's, Baking, Mixology, and Comedy.
posted by betweenthebars at 2:42 PM on November 14, 2024

I know two of those:

[Children's]

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

[Mixology]

Long Island

posted by Wobbuffet at 2:47 PM on November 14, 2024

Okay, so I closed the tab, turned on a podcast for background noise, the host introduced the guest _____ author of the recent book _______ and I was like oh. Mixology.
posted by betweenthebars at 2:48 PM on November 14, 2024

Wobbuffet, thank you! I would never have got Children's even if I had stared at it all night.
posted by betweenthebars at 2:57 PM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

Here's another ...

[Baking]

Butter (again, found like some of these others, just by plugging in what the clue suggests, not by knowing the book)

posted by Wobbuffet at 3:04 PM on November 14, 2024

Ah, I'm happier about this one, and now Metafilter can claim a collective win :D

[Comedy]

Funny Story

posted by Wobbuffet at 3:12 PM on November 14, 2024

Guy in the soldier's uniform between Travel and Crime and Thriller

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The Panda

Eats, Shoots and Leaves

posted by aaebig at 3:27 PM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

Can I have a hint on the singers, please?
posted by tangosnail at 3:40 PM on November 14, 2024

Sure ...

[Singers hint 1]

Two words

[Singers hint 2]

Second word: barbershop _____

[Singers hint 3]

First word: those sure are flavorful vests

[Singers answer]

Neapolitan Quartet

posted by Wobbuffet at 3:47 PM on November 14, 2024 [2 favorites]

Oof, thank you - I would not have gotten that on my own!
posted by tangosnail at 3:50 PM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

Hmm can I get some hints for these? [ghost], [yellow clock], [working women poster], [angel]
posted by jasminerain at 8:23 PM on November 14, 2024

clock hint

what’s another word for the front of a clock?

clock hint 2

2023 book, American author, satire

posted by Why Is The World In Love Again? at 8:28 PM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

I cheated on ghost by googling and did not recognize the title when I found it, but if you're OK with that as a source, here are a couple of hints worked out in retrospect:

[Ghost hint 1]

HORATIO: Look, my lord, it comes.
HAMLET: Angels and ministers of grace, defend us!
Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned,
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou com’st in such a questionable shape
That I will speak to thee.

[Ghost hint 2]

Tell the ghost what to do

[Ghost answer]

Enter Ghost

I only reached 18/20 and defer to betweenthebars or others on the poster and the angel.
posted by Wobbuffet at 8:44 PM on November 14, 2024 [2 favorites]

Ooh I was never going to get that Ghost one, thank you! The clock one made me facepalm, I have even read that book
posted by jasminerain at 8:47 PM on November 14, 2024 [2 favorites]

Well, my cheating has progressed from guessing wildly to googling tags / title keywords on Goodreads and now to just checking for clues other people are sharing online. So here are clues for angel:

[Angel hint 1]

Don't take angel literally--she's more of a young adult

[Angel hint 2]

She's looking for instructions on what?

[Angel answer]

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

And here are clues for the poster:

[Poster hint 1]

The person on the poster is flexing her biceps to show you something about herself

[Poster hint 2]

There is a TVTropes entry with a very similar title

[Poster answer]

Strong Female Character

posted by Wobbuffet at 9:36 PM on November 14, 2024 [1 favorite]

HULK HEAD HURT
posted by y2karl at 6:06 PM on November 16, 2024