
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,871
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Holiday Hijinks #1: The Kringle Caper
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2020

2022
Rules assistance for Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit is a board game released in 2022 for 1–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Jonathan Chaffer and its main mechanics are Deduction.
The invitation left you almost breathless with anticipation. The eccentric inventor, Professor Archibald Timely, has opened his stately manor to the public for the first time in years. What brilliant new breakthrough was to be unveiled? As you walk through the front door, you notice an eerie silence with only the sound of your echoing footsteps filling the cavernous halls. With so much to explore in the sprawling old mansion, you wander to the furthest recesses and back again, and again, and again... Hold on; you’re having the strangest case of déjà vu. Can you escape before it’s too late? The Groundhog Gambit, title #6 in the Holiday Hijinks line, is an escape room-style game in just 18 cards! As a group, you will solve a series of puzzles to unravel a mystery. Puzzles may test your perception, wordplay, and lateral thinking. English language fluency is required. This game is app-assisted. When you have solved a puzzle on the cards, you will enter the answer into the companion website (compatible with all smartphones and computers) and it will check whether you are correct. If you are, the website will tell you which card or cards to take next. The website also contains a graduated hint system, so if you get stuck you can get just a small hint about the current puzzle to get moving again without giving too much away. The website also allows you to interact with objects on cards, in the vein of a classic point-and-click adventure. This will help you gain more clues and solve puzzles. This system is non-destructible: some groups may choose to write on cards, but this is not required. A group cannot re-play the game but can pass it on to another group for their use. This entry in the series takes about two hours to solve and is rated 3 out of 3 in difficulty.
Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit belongs to these categories: Card Game, Deduction, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Deduction. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit are: Jonathan Chaffer. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Holiday Hijinks #6: The Groundhog Gambit as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.