Oblique Strategies

Oblique Strategies

by Alex Lelievre

1.7K ratings
70 reviews

Archived App (Last seen on 22 Aug 2025)

This is an archived listing of the app previously available on the App Store.

Although the app is no longer distributed by Apple, you can still view its description, screenshots, version history, ratings, and metadata for reference.

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • April 18, 2025
  • April 18, 2025

Features

Oblique Strategies screenshot #1 for iPhone
Oblique Strategies screenshot #2 for iPhone
Oblique Strategies screenshot #3 for iPhone
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About

This app provides a digital deck of cards with cryptic phrases designed to help creative individuals break through creative blocks or dilemmas. Users draw a card and apply its strategy to their problem.

βœ“Digital deck of cards
βœ“Over 100 worthwhile dilemmas
βœ“Break creative deadlocks
βœ“Apply strategies blindly
βœ“Includes all five editions
βœ“Shuffle deck functionality
βœ“Landscape orientation only
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What users say

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What's New in Oblique Strategies

1.0.1

April 18, 2025

Better shuffling: The card order is now saved when you quit and restored upon launch. The deck is only shuffled when you select a new edition or get to the last card in the deck.

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User reviews

Thank you.

All 5 editions and as simple as it deserves to be. What more can you ask for?

Pretentious

A pretentious pack of random drivel by a bloviating, washed-up poseur

Alberquerque

The one without the parsley is the one without the poison. Hard to tell at this distance (in time).

I love Oblique Strategies, but...

Was very happy to see this appear for free in the App Store after having it on a Jailbroken iPod Touch. But. What happened to portrait mode? It's very annoying to have to move to two-handed landscape mode just to read the screen. Also I agree with others who have said this would be a perfect application for a shake-to-shuffle feature. Really it would be shake-to-show-next (random) item, ideally. It's great to see a preferences screen with the choice of different editions of the strategies. It would be nice to have some more information about the editions - are the editions additive, or do some strategies get dumped when editions get updated? How different are they? Why are they different? OK, I'll try to find the answer on the web, but some hints about this inside the app would not hurt. Should also have an option to select from ALL editions (but with duplicates removed, so everything has an equal chance of getting selected). This is a music app in the same way that a color wheel is a restaurant app. In other words, not at all. Yes, you can use a color wheel to help you decide how to paint a restaurant... just like can use Oblique Strategies to help inspire your music. But it's not for music only. Eno and Schmidt are not just musicians. This app should be put in another category, not Music. I would say put it in the App Store Productivity category.
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This is how it seems to be

For all mankind.

Developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

2 issues

Randomization issues

Bug

Compatibility concerns

Bug
✨

Requested Features

4 requests

Shake-to-shuffle feature

Feature

Option to combine all editions into one deck

Feature

Browse mode to view all cards

Feature

Slideshow feature

Feature

FAQ

What is Oblique Strategies?

Oblique Strategies is a digital deck of cards containing over 100 cryptic phrases or remarks. These are designed to help users break through creative blocks or dilemma situations by offering unconventional approaches to problems.

How do I use the app?

You draw a card from the shuffled deck and apply the phrase or remark to your current problem. The intention is to follow the strategy blindly and see how it obliquely applies to your situation.

What editions are included?

This version of the application includes all five editions of the Oblique Strategies deck, providing a comprehensive collection of dilemmas and phrases for creative inspiration.

Is this app free?

Yes, the application is available for free. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements mentioned in the description.

What devices is this app compatible with?

The application currently only works in landscape orientation. Specific device compatibility beyond this is not detailed, but it is designed for mobile use.