During the Second World War, Parlett lived in Barry, Glamorgan.
He was educated at Battersea Grammar School and the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth.
Parlett was a technical writer with PR companies and later a freelance writer for Games & Puzzles magazine.
Its German edition was awarded Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) in 1979.
[9] Since 1974, David Parlett has published numerous games, including the following:[10] Parlett has invented more than 70 original card games that can be played with a standard deck of playing cards.