“Playing God was a sweetly addictive game.”

canular refers to hoaxes, humorous deceptions.
The Paris Review interview (1984)
Context: You know, the Cathars believed that the world was not created by God but by a demon who had stolen a few technological secrets from Him and made this world — which is why it doesn’t work. I don’t share this heresy. I’m too afraid! But I put it in a play called This Extraordinary Brothel, in which the protagonist doesn’t talk at all. There is a revolution, everybody kills everybody else, and he doesn’t understand. But at the very end, he speaks for the first time. He points his finger towards the sky and shakes it at God, saying, “You rogue! You little rogue!” and he bursts out laughing. He understands that the world is an enormous farce, a canular played by God against man, and that he has to play God’s game and laugh about it.

My Twisted World (2014), Pastimes

Thoughts and Glimpses (1916-17)

"Newcity Chicago," April 2008, on the arcade game "Tetris"

Source: Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility

Source: Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Source: Fall of Night

The Cherubinic Wanderer

Nobody Girl
29 (2005)