Are there some subjects too dark to be treated as intellectual games?

The book suggests that the world should not be taken too seriously: life is an intellectual game, and words are the pieces on the board.

The result is a kind of intellectual game in which high and popular art compete on a playing field leveled by the artist.

Is this going to be anything more than an intellectual game?

He dared not hope; it was most likely an intellectual game, for her.

What should have been a breaking point for Pendergast had suddenly turned into an intellectual game.

But the problem is a real one, not a mere intellectual game.

He clearly takes his subject (and himself) too seriously to play intellectual games.

If the film becomes an intellectual game then it's boring.

Some other morning, I might have enjoyed playing intellectual games.