
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,028
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Catch 22
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2002

1966
Rules assistance for Switchboard
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Switchboard is a board game released in 1966 for 2–4 players and 45 minutes per game. It was designed by Carlton B. Wilder and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Tile Placement.
The playing surface consists of 36 tiles laid out numerically to form a square. Each tile contains spots which form a pathway; some form straight paths, some are angled paths and some form crossroads. As players advance their tokens along the paths, they also move the tiles in an attempt to bottle up opponents while building the shortest possible path to the Finish for themselves. Thus, the pathway is continuously shifting, branching out, and breaking into segments. Also published in 1965 as a promotional game for Culligan, title "Hey, Culligan Man!".
Switchboard supports 2–4 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 Switchboard is 45 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.
Switchboard 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.
Switchboard belongs to these categories: Dice, Abstract Strategy, and Maze. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Tile Placement. 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 Switchboard are: Carlton B. Wilder. 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 Switchboard 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.