Shivangi Sinha
Offline games, puzzles, and hands-on activities have long offered people a way to unwind. They challenge the mind and help connect with others without relying on screens. From solving crosswords to tackling brain teasers, these simple pastimes have retained their appeal even as digital entertainment has grown. Now, there is renewed interest in screen-free experiences that bring a little more fun and interaction into everyday routines. Tapping into this revival, Sunday Club presented its print-only puzzle newspaper on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ season 18, especially in episode 4. They showed how they are offering readers a refreshing way to engage with puzzles and enjoy a break from their screens.
Sunday Club: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Ira Blossom, the founder and editor-in-chief of Sunday Club, turned a childhood love of word games into a newspaper designed entirely around puzzles and play. His interest began with his mother, as family game nights often involved Scrabble and Boggle. That early enjoyment stayed with him, and in 2020, he began creating games of his own. This desire was spurred on by a growing interest among people in finding offline community activities. However, the idea for Sunday Club took shape only in 2023 and it eventually became a fully launched publication in 2025. Early readers responded enthusiastically to its tactile appeal, encouraging Blossom to expand beyond the eight-page pilot issue and introduce more pages and games.
Blossom’s professional journey offers an interesting backdrop to this venture. He studied psychology at Villanova University, where he also pursued minors in cognitive science and computer science, graduating in 2013. Before joining Google, he worked in UX design and research roles at organizations including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and PubMatic, alongside internships at National Geographic Society, LivingSocial, and other companies. He joined Google in January 2015 as a user experience researcher for Google Ads, subsequently taking on leadership roles across Google Workspace and Google Cloud. By November 2024, he had become a senior staff UX manager within Google Ads. Alongside this technology career, Sunday Club offered him a way to apply his interest in how people think and interact to a more playful, physical medium.
Sunday Club describes itself as the first print newspaper to be “All Games No News.” Each issue features 12 full-color pages printed on tabloid newsprint, measuring approximately 11 by 15 inches, with more than 15 original puzzles and games. Readers can tackle crosswords, Sudoku, mazes, word searches, pictogram puzzles, and the Sunday Club Comic, alongside its signature Search & Find. Hints and answers are accessible through QR codes, providing assistance without interrupting the print-first experience. Each season comprises three monthly issues connected by a shared theme. The publication is currently in its fourth season, which began with an issue titled ‘Moments of Marvel.’
Sunday Club: Where Are They Now?
Since its launch, Sunday Club has attracted attention from publications including Business Insider, CNN, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, Parade, Rolling Stone, and Today. The brand initially released six standalone issues before moving to a seasonal format, with each edition built around a distinct theme. Earlier releases included themes like Grand Departures and The Present Tense.’ The pilot issue also received an iDesign Award in 2024 for excellence in print. The latest issue combines familiar favorites with more elaborate challenges. Its Search & Find cover features 21 hidden details, alongside the Sunday Club Crossword, Wonders All Around, and a mini crossword. Other games include Over and Under, a route puzzle involving bridges and tunnels, The Sunday Stretch on the New Seven Wonders of the World, and a Sunday Mystery built around a university library transformed into a twelve-story game of Tetris.
Four meta puzzles are hidden throughout the issue, with an online leaderboard tracking participants. Sudoku, Word Search, Digit Doodle, Anaquote, Dear Sunday, and the Sunday Club Comic round out the collection. Each edition credits its human artists and contributors, while SundayClub.com offers bonus weekly puzzles, the meta-puzzle leaderboard, and Sunday Club Sounds, a playlist designed for slow mornings. The publication follows a quarterly subscription model, with standard subscriptions costing $24.95 and premium subscriptions priced at $34.95 per quarter. Premium subscribers receive a seasonal boxed shipment called the Season Opener, featuring a pencil and sticker set, curated extras, a printed newsletter, and tracked shipping. Individual issues cost $7.99, while previous editions and bundles are also available. For example, the Season 2 bundle costs $24.95, and the Season 1 standard bundle is priced at $29.95.
Beyond its website, Sunday Club is stocked at select coffee shops, bookstores, and cafes, including M. Judson Booksellers and Cafe Conmigo. Its website also features a store locator. Its merchandise collection includes a pencil set for $6.95, tote bags for $30, art prints for $75, hoodies for $90, T-shirts for $30, and caps for $35, alongside other apparel such as sweatshirts, socks, and beanies. A New York newsstand near Union Square adds to its nostalgic appeal. Through artist collaborations, community events, and initiatives such as its October 2026 Little Free Library book swap, Sunday Club is building a community around screen-free entertainment.
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