Keeps Weekly VII: A Token of Apprectiation

This is an archive from the Keeps Weekly, a newsletter that ran from April 22 to June 3, 2026. 

 Fine and Final Felicitations, all!

And so the ultimate issue of the Keeps Weekly arrives. Next week's email will be exciting and wonderful, but not an issue of the Weekly. When everything at last comes together, isn't it odd how we must then part? Before shedding a tender tear, let's at least read it.

PROGRESS UPDATES

Our Kickstarter page is finalized, and—dare I say it—looking absolutely magnificent. You guys will all see next week. Until then, find a tantalizing preview on the prelaunch page.

If you want to head over there, you can sign up to be notified next week. We will of course notify you here as well, but it makes us look better when the number in waiting grows, and it'll save you the time of making a Kickstarter account Wednesday if you don't already have one.

One of the last things we wanted for the Kickstarter was a more organic way for the people to see me and Elaina, to give them a sense of who we are and why we did this. Enjoy seven minutes of our discussing Keeps, featuring the wondercat Frank.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv4cfJRvSNM

Those were questions that you guys have asked over the weeks.

I've spent some time porting the first seven issues of the Weekly over to the blog in case people want to fondly gaze back on them in time.

The Keeps Weekly may live on. If it does, it will become the Keeps Monthly or semi-so, or the Keeps Sporadic. It's a question of attention both ways. I enjoy composing these letters, puzzles and blog posts, but they weigh on the time I would have for other parts of the project, which are about to get much heavier. Yet if we find tons of added attention for the newsletter in the wake of the Kickstarter, it is time I will make.

Next week's email will be a big announcement to remind you guys of the launch. It'll also have some final notes and things for those of you who like reading them.

CARD SPOTLIGHT

Token or not to ken? That is the question.

The Tokens provide the second and only other win condition in Keeps. Collecting them is no simple feat, especially in two player. The reward, though, is pure and instant victory.

More often than not, a Token player is just one turn short of enough actions to make it work. The issue is, once one or two Tokens are in your keep, it becomes obvious what you are going for, and the other players are forced to do anything they can to stop you from winning.

The Fool's suite of cards is highly effective at Token collecting, often avoiding this problem. Hocus Pocus gives you an extra action, which would allow you to play every Token in a single turn. Duplicity lets you hide a Token and so achieve a similar effect. Pluck and Pickpocket let you steal cards from other players. And Last Laugh of course gives you one final chance to place the third.

There are so many awesome moments in Keeps rounds, but my favorite (and it's not even close) is a Token victory. It takes a straight face and some conniving, but when you place that third Token in your keep after a twisting game of four-way scheming, it just feels so awesome.

These puzzles won't replicate that feeling, but they will teach you to achieve it in real life:

EASY  MEDIUM  HARD

BLOG HIGHLIGHT

As a last hurrah, in this week's blog, I take a look at some old card ideas that were rejected and why. Read about it in On Old Hat.

This will not be the last blog.

GIVEAWAY

The winner of last week's giveaway is Shreeya, who was one of only a few to solve the riddle. There were many wrong answers, the most popular of which was Duplicity (a Fool card). But read this and see why the correct answer is KEEP:

I am calm, I have stayed. I am out of sight, afraid;

[keep calm, something kept stays, keep out of sight]

I'm quiet only to yourself, a secret going unbetrayed.

 [keep quiet, keep (it) to yourself, keep a secret, keep going]

Rest in me with company, chin up - eyes peeled;

[Rest in an actual Keep, keep (one's) company, keep your chin up, keep your eyes peeled]

I'm on, off, up, and out, in mind my straight face is revealed.

[keep on, keep off, keep up, keep out, keep in mind, keep a straight face]

It was quite dense, really.

As this is the final issue of the Weekly, Shreeya has won the last weekly giveaway. But you are welcome to send the Keeps Courier a word now and again, just to let him know he is not forgotten. We hope you've enjoyed competing in our little games.

IN CLOSING

We've come a long way. We've laughed, cried, riddled, posted, puzzled, blogged, and, in the end, played an elegant game. Made an elegant game.

I downloaded a snapshot of our mailing list today so that I know who was there when we needed them most. You guys are the best, and we won't forget it. You will always have Keeps priority.

This isn't a final farewell, but it is the end of an era. Fortunately, it is also the start of one. Please, if you know anyone who might trade ten bucks for days of merriment, send them our way. We've done all we can—it's in your hands now.

Until...next week,

David & Elaina