How FreeCell Snuck Its Way Into Millions of PCs

Hey, Good Game

Episode 29: Jim Horne is the creator of Microsoft FreeCell and xwordinfo.com. Jim shares his journey from early programming to joining Microsoft in 1988, where he secretly added FreeCell to Windows.

His passion for crosswords led to writing for the New York Times and developing xwordinfo.com. Jim discusses his time at Microsoft, including sharing an office wall with Steve Ballmer, and the serendipitous nature of his career. He touches on the "unsolvable" FreeCell game and his recent collaboration on "I'm Squeezy." Throughout, Jim highlights the intersection of music and programming, offering insights into early computing, casual games, and the crossword community, demonstrating how pursuing interests can lead to unexpected opportunities.

Check out Jim's resources:
https://www.xwordinfo.com
https://freecell.org/
Wordplay
https://imsqueezy.com

--

• (00:00) - Introduction to the Guest: Jim Horne
• (01:44) - Jim Horne's Early Career and Love for Games
• (03:35) - The Creation and Impact of Microsoft FreeCell
• (05:11) - Musical Adventures and Microsoft Theater
• (10:30) - The Journey with Crosswords and Blogging
• (16:26) - The Legacy of FreeCell and Game Development Insights
• (35:34) - Final Thoughts and Advice for Aspiring Game Creators

--

Check out our brainy games:

Sumplete - https://sumplete.com
Kakuro Conquest - https://kakuroconquest.com
Mathler - https://mathler.com
Crosswordle - https://crosswordle.com
Sudoku Conquest - https://sudokuconquest.com
Hitori Conquest - https://hitoriconquest.com
Wordga - https://wordga.com