Super Mastermind

Simple numbers I can manage,
Things like one-plus-one-makes-two;
I'm not so mathematical
But Logic, I can do.

I love the game of Mastermind,
Plain reasoning's the key:
"It can't be both, it's either this or that,"
I'll quickly see.

And now it's on my tablet,
I don't need a friend to ask,
"Are you sure this line's marked properly?"
If I'm struggling with the task.

It isn't quite so tactile,
But it takes up far less space.
The computer age is useful
When one's home's a smallish place.

So off this goes to find a home,
A new one, where small fingers
Can handle pegs more nimbly.
And now just this photo lingers.

So, if I feel nostalgic,
I can open up the file,
Take a peep and close it,
With a clear-of-clutter smile.

poem © Celia Warren 2014

This is the Super version of the original Invicta game and dates back to the late 1960s or early '70s. Its row of five holes and choice of eight colours results in up to 59,000 permutations, according to the box lid! (Don't know if that includes combinations with repeated colours. As I say, maths isn't my strong point.)