
- BGG rank
- BGG #33
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- 1–2 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2016

2018
Rules assistance for Lost in the Woods
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 1 player
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Lost in the Woods is a board game released in 2018 for 1 player, 30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Robert J Johnson and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and Solo / Solitaire Game.
Lost in the Woods is a solo game set on the eve of Ichabod Crane's fateful ride home at the end of the original story of Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Players must guide Ichabod from the Van Tassel mansion through the forest to the covered bridge before time runs out and the Headless Horseman chases him down. Players will need to push their luck, avoid frights, and keep their wits to get Ichabod safely home! In the game, one player will have 60 minutes (12 units of Time) to travel across 9 Woods cards in the Forest Row and reach the Covered Bridge. To do so, players will draw cards from the Journey Deck, typically placing them next to the deck to form the Fright Row. Woods cards that appear will have one of three good luck symbols on them. When there are two or more Woods cards in the Fright Row with a matching symbol, the player can spend one Time to take one of each matching Woods cards and place them into the Forest Row. The catch is that Woods cards cannot be placed in the Forest Row next to another Woods card that has the same good luck symbol. Fright cards may appear from the Journey Deck, as well. These three cards - a wolf, a bat, and an owl - are placed into the Fright Row. If at any time there is a matching pair of Fright cards in the Fright Row, the entire Fright Row is discarded. If there was a matching set of Woods cards in the Fright Row then the player loses no time. If not, the player loses one Time. If there are ever three different Fright cards in the Fright Row then the entire Fright Row is discarded and the player loses two Time. There are also several Event cards in the deck that, when drawn, trigger an effect and are discarded. These can range from the Torch which allows the player to discard Fright cards from the Fright Row, to the Headless Horseman himself which forces the player to discard the lead Woods card in the Forest Row if there are any Fright cards in the Fright Row.
Lost in the Woods supports 1 player according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Lost in the Woods is 30 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 Lost in the Woods for ages 14 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.
Lost in the Woods has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light 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.
Lost in the Woods belongs to these categories: Card Game and Horror. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Push Your Luck, and Solo / Solitaire Game. 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 Lost in the Woods are: Robert J Johnson. 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 Lost in the Woods 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.