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Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Puzzles and Games of the Broadway Legend
By near-universal consensus, Stephen Sondheim was the greatest musical theater composer of his generation—celebrated, among other things, for the wit, sophistication, and intricacy of shows from West Side Story to Sunday in the Park with George. A less well-known avenue for his brilliant creativity was his lifelong fascination with designing and constructing intricate puzzles and games: from treasure hunts and crossword puzzles to parlor and board games.
Matching Minds with Sondheim is a journey into this rich but largely unmapped aspect of the composer’s creative life, illuminating how Sondheim’s playful designs delivered moments of clarity and connection for his friends and colleagues. For the first time, this book offers an enthralling tour of what Sondheim described as his “puzzler’s mind,” helping readers to better understand the man, his work, and—if they accept the challenge—themselves.
Gaming expert and theatre fan Barry Joseph draws from over eighty years of Sondheim’s activities, collecting his extremely rare and never-publicly-seen puzzles and game designs, scores of original interviews with the celebrity friends who played them, deep dives into Sondheim-related archives from around the country, and analysis from both puzzle designers and theater professionals from around the world.
Matching Minds will do more than describe Sondheim’s work: It will allow readers to match minds with the maestro by attempting to solve Sondheimian puzzles and bring Sondheimian games into their own homes.
Reactions from early readers:
"Setting and solving puzzles lies at the heart of creativity, whether the output be lyrics, music, or crosswords. In Joseph’s Matching Minds with Sondheim we finally learn how this puzzling spirit pervades the works of a master of all three.”
Paul Henderson, cryptic crossword setter and APEX custodian
“Barry Joseph’s Matching Minds with Sondheim reveals an untold dimension of the Broadway legend’s life: his passion for puzzles and games. From designing murder mystery party games to crafting immersive and puzzling treasure hunts, Joseph paints a vivid picture of how Sondheim channeled his wit and precision into the art of making play.”
Michael Mitnick, playwright, songwriter, and Sondheim aficionado
“If you’re bedazzled by Stephen Sondheim and want to get inside his mind, you need this book. If you’re equally entranced by puzzles and games, you must read this book immediately and repeatedly. Matching Minds is a real accomplishment, and no one but Barry Joseph could have written it. His intelligence and commitment to this complex subject can be found on every page."
Daniel Okrent, author of the forthcoming Stephen Sondheim: Art Isn’t Easy
“Anyone who loves the musicals of Stephen Sondheim is likely to know that the legendary composer and lyricist was also passionate about games and puzzles. Barry Joseph, himself a game designer, has taken that cue and assembled a whole new perspective shedding light on a facet of Sondheim’s creativity that’s not been explored previously in depth. His exploration is rooted in interviews with more than 60 puzzle and game designers, as well as Sondheim’s friends, colleagues and — especially — playmates. Matching Minds with Sondheim is literally a mind-boggling study, providing more than 400 pages of background and insight that sheds new light on an incredible creative mind. Joseph offers solid evidence about how Sondheim’s pursuit of puzzle solutions and elaborate game playing were part and parcel with his mastery of words. If you desire a deeper understanding of this modern genius, this is a book for you.”
Rick Pender, author of The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia
“Reliving my extraordinary night participating in Stephen’s 1968 Halloween Treasure Hunt was like stepping back into the genius’s boundless imagination. This book is a treasure hunt in its own right, piecing together the magic and mystery that Sondheim conjured in every puzzle, every clue, and every note he composed. A fascinating read that guides you through the wonderland of one of the world’s most brilliant minds.”
Grover Dale, original cast member of West Side Story, Tony- and Emmy-nominated Dancer, Choreographer, and Director
“Matching Minds shows how Sondheim was exactly the type of player that makes the escape room community so vibrant.”
Lisa and David Spira, co-creators of RoomEscapeArtist DOT com
“Just as Sondheim treated his audiences as though they were at a level playing field, so too does Barry Joseph with this fascinating series of insights into Sondheim’s genius that even non-gamers will gobble up.”
Julie Klausner, creator, Difficult People, and Sondheim enthusiast
Matching Minds with Sondheim is a journey into this rich but largely unmapped aspect of the composer’s creative life, illuminating how Sondheim’s playful designs delivered moments of clarity and connection for his friends and colleagues. For the first time, this book offers an enthralling tour of what Sondheim described as his “puzzler’s mind,” helping readers to better understand the man, his work, and—if they accept the challenge—themselves.
Gaming expert and theatre fan Barry Joseph draws from over eighty years of Sondheim’s activities, collecting his extremely rare and never-publicly-seen puzzles and game designs, scores of original interviews with the celebrity friends who played them, deep dives into Sondheim-related archives from around the country, and analysis from both puzzle designers and theater professionals from around the world.
Matching Minds will do more than describe Sondheim’s work: It will allow readers to match minds with the maestro by attempting to solve Sondheimian puzzles and bring Sondheimian games into their own homes.
Reactions from early readers:
"Setting and solving puzzles lies at the heart of creativity, whether the output be lyrics, music, or crosswords. In Joseph’s Matching Minds with Sondheim we finally learn how this puzzling spirit pervades the works of a master of all three.”
Paul Henderson, cryptic crossword setter and APEX custodian
“Barry Joseph’s Matching Minds with Sondheim reveals an untold dimension of the Broadway legend’s life: his passion for puzzles and games. From designing murder mystery party games to crafting immersive and puzzling treasure hunts, Joseph paints a vivid picture of how Sondheim channeled his wit and precision into the art of making play.”
Michael Mitnick, playwright, songwriter, and Sondheim aficionado
“If you’re bedazzled by Stephen Sondheim and want to get inside his mind, you need this book. If you’re equally entranced by puzzles and games, you must read this book immediately and repeatedly. Matching Minds is a real accomplishment, and no one but Barry Joseph could have written it. His intelligence and commitment to this complex subject can be found on every page."
Daniel Okrent, author of the forthcoming Stephen Sondheim: Art Isn’t Easy
“Anyone who loves the musicals of Stephen Sondheim is likely to know that the legendary composer and lyricist was also passionate about games and puzzles. Barry Joseph, himself a game designer, has taken that cue and assembled a whole new perspective shedding light on a facet of Sondheim’s creativity that’s not been explored previously in depth. His exploration is rooted in interviews with more than 60 puzzle and game designers, as well as Sondheim’s friends, colleagues and — especially — playmates. Matching Minds with Sondheim is literally a mind-boggling study, providing more than 400 pages of background and insight that sheds new light on an incredible creative mind. Joseph offers solid evidence about how Sondheim’s pursuit of puzzle solutions and elaborate game playing were part and parcel with his mastery of words. If you desire a deeper understanding of this modern genius, this is a book for you.”
Rick Pender, author of The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia
“Reliving my extraordinary night participating in Stephen’s 1968 Halloween Treasure Hunt was like stepping back into the genius’s boundless imagination. This book is a treasure hunt in its own right, piecing together the magic and mystery that Sondheim conjured in every puzzle, every clue, and every note he composed. A fascinating read that guides you through the wonderland of one of the world’s most brilliant minds.”
Grover Dale, original cast member of West Side Story, Tony- and Emmy-nominated Dancer, Choreographer, and Director
“Matching Minds shows how Sondheim was exactly the type of player that makes the escape room community so vibrant.”
Lisa and David Spira, co-creators of RoomEscapeArtist DOT com
“Just as Sondheim treated his audiences as though they were at a level playing field, so too does Barry Joseph with this fascinating series of insights into Sondheim’s genius that even non-gamers will gobble up.”
Julie Klausner, creator, Difficult People, and Sondheim enthusiast
350 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2025
16 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Barry Joseph
5 books1 followerBarry Joseph is the Principal of Barry Joseph Consulting, a leader in innovating solutions for learning in a digital age. He is also the co-founder of the Games for Change Festival, the more than 20-year-old, multi-day event in New York City. As an early developer of after-school game design youth programming and now adjunct at New York University, Barry has been a national leader in both games-based learning and games for social impact, producing dozens of curriculums and games. Work and clients include the American Museum of Natural History, Girl Scouts of the USA, the RAND Corporation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the International Criminal Court. Barry has been featured by the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, CBS Morning News, All Things Considered, and many more.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 3, 2025
let's match minds with papa
Want to read
October 27, 2025Best part of working at a library is pestering my coworkers into ordering every Sondheim book I can.
September 30, 2025
As someone who pestered Sondheim by means of written letter in 2018 for the instructions to the Murder Game after hearing about its existence thanks to a tweet from Mara Wilson in cab back on New Years Eve, I am so glad to finally have the detailed instructions.
The rest of the book is great too. I can't say I understand cryptic crosswords anymore having read it, but it's fun to read about something that was clearly a passion of his.
The rest of the book is great too. I can't say I understand cryptic crosswords anymore having read it, but it's fun to read about something that was clearly a passion of his.
November 13, 2025
I think this book may be the most personally affirming thing I have ever read.
I’ve spent plenty of time reflecting on the spiritual nexus of puzzles, games, and theater writing, and this book was everything I could ever hoped for, and so much more. It showed the brain and heart of one my heroes was way more like mine than I ever could have imagined. The breadth and depth of scope are so unbelievably satisfying. It boggles my mind (as I know it did yours) that such a significant piece of Sondheim’s being went so unexplored until now. Barry has done an incredible service for multiple communities, and as someone living at the nexus of many of them, I’ve never felt so connected.
If you love Sondheim, puzzles, games, or like me, all of the above, you’ll never find a more fulfilling and validating piece of writing.
I’ve spent plenty of time reflecting on the spiritual nexus of puzzles, games, and theater writing, and this book was everything I could ever hoped for, and so much more. It showed the brain and heart of one my heroes was way more like mine than I ever could have imagined. The breadth and depth of scope are so unbelievably satisfying. It boggles my mind (as I know it did yours) that such a significant piece of Sondheim’s being went so unexplored until now. Barry has done an incredible service for multiple communities, and as someone living at the nexus of many of them, I’ve never felt so connected.
If you love Sondheim, puzzles, games, or like me, all of the above, you’ll never find a more fulfilling and validating piece of writing.
October 22, 2025
Matching Minds with Sondheim unveils an extraordinary and lesser-known dimension of Stephen Sondheim’s genius: his lifelong passion for puzzles and games. Barry Joseph meticulously explores how Sondheim’s creativity extended far beyond musical theatre into intricate treasure hunts, parlor games, and cryptic puzzles, offering readers a unique lens into the mind of a master composer and lyricist.
Through over 400 pages of research, rare archival materials, and interviews with Sondheim’s friends, collaborators, and fellow puzzle enthusiasts, Joseph illuminates the playful rigor behind Sondheim’s artistry. Readers are invited not just to observe but to engage with Sondheimian puzzles themselves, bridging intellectual play with creative mastery. This book is both an insightful biography and an interactive journey, perfect for fans of musicals, puzzle aficionados, and anyone intrigued by the confluence of art and intellect.
Through over 400 pages of research, rare archival materials, and interviews with Sondheim’s friends, collaborators, and fellow puzzle enthusiasts, Joseph illuminates the playful rigor behind Sondheim’s artistry. Readers are invited not just to observe but to engage with Sondheimian puzzles themselves, bridging intellectual play with creative mastery. This book is both an insightful biography and an interactive journey, perfect for fans of musicals, puzzle aficionados, and anyone intrigued by the confluence of art and intellect.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews