diff --git a/lisp/play/5x5.el b/lisp/play/5x5.el
index c89188c0233..05e61dfe401 100644
--- a/lisp/play/5x5.el
+++ b/lisp/play/5x5.el
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
     map)
   "Local keymap for the 5x5 game.")
 
-(5x5-defvar-local 5x5-solver-output nil
+(defvar-local 5x5-solver-output nil
   "List that is the output of an arithmetic solver.
 
 This list L is such that
diff --git a/lisp/play/gamegrid.el b/lisp/play/gamegrid.el
index 34787d928eb..8b64dfdf9b5 100644
--- a/lisp/play/gamegrid.el
+++ b/lisp/play/gamegrid.el
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 
 (defvar-local gamegrid-display-mode nil)
 
-(defvar-local gamegrid-display-table)
+(defvar-local gamegrid-display-table nil)
 
 (defvar-local gamegrid-face-table nil)