GB2199253A

GB2199253A - Word game

Info

Publication number: GB2199253A
Application number: GB08620758A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Douglas Holgate
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-08-28
Filing date: 1986-08-28
Publication date: 1988-07-06
Also published as: GB8620758D0

Abstract

A board game for two or more players depicts a maze of interconnecting circuits through which players progress by throw of dice and by solving a variety of word puzzles. The four circuits contain one hundred and twelve game squares and thirty two coloured squares, and are linked by crossover paths marked by arrows. The aim of the game is to negotiate the maze and land on the home square in the innermost circuit. The symbols in the game squares correspond to six types of word puzzle represented by the same symbols on eleven hundred game cards. The game appeals to crossword solvers, puzzle enthusiasts and players of word games. It has an application in the teaching of English by introducing players to the twists and turns of language. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION: WORD GAME The invention is described in the following statement: A board game for two or more players depicting a maze through which players must find their way by throw of dice and by solving a variety of word puzzles.

The maze represented by the board is reflected in the word puzzles themselves and the game is a linguistic labyrinth testing a players familiarity with the spelling, meaning and social context of words.

The game appeals to crossword solvers, puzzle enthusiasts, general knowledge buffs and players of word games in general.

It also has an educational value in introducing players to the delightful twists and turns of the English language.

The board represents a maze of four quadrilateral concentric circuits of different sizes connected to each other by pathways marked with arrows. The circuits contain one hundred and twelve word game squares and thirty two coloured squares.

Each circuit contains eight coloured squares corresponding to the pieces used by the players (for design of board see FIGURES A and B).

By throw of dice, players move from their starting point (the square of the same colour as their piece on the outermost circuit) in a clockwise direction and proceed through the second, third and fourth circuits of the maze.

The player who is first to land on the square of his own colour in the fourth (innermost) circuit and solve the puzzle is the winner.

A player stopping on any of the game squares or coloured squares is required to solve a word puzzle before throwing again. The puzzle is set by the player on his left who reads from a game card contaIning six symbols and six corresponding word puzzles - the symbols matching those cn the board (see FTTRE C for example of a game card).

The game categories are Spelling Bee (a spelling puzzle), Anagrams (an anagram-solving game), What Am =? and Daffy Dictionary (word definition games), Aangman's noose (a word guessing game) and Quotations (a word substitution and general knowledge game).

At the start of the game each player rolls two dice to determine who goes first. The player going first chooses a piece and places it on the square of the corresponding colour in the outermost circuit, tjrn to the left each player does likewise. The player going first then rolls the double dice, moves his piece in a clockwise direction and the game begins.

Woo dice are used for the two outer circuits, one dice only is used for the two inner circuits. "hen two dice are used, a player may count a number on either dice (or the total of both dice). If a player lands on a game square and solves the puzzle, he throws and moves again - otherwise his turn is over and play passes to the left. After going past his own coloured square, a player may proceed to the next circuit by landing on a square opposite a crossover point (marked by a path with an arrow) by an exact throw of the dice and by solving the puzzle in the appropriate category. The player then throws again and counts from the square in the next circuit opposite the crossover arrow. If the puzzle is not solved the player does not move into the next circuit and must find another crossover square on a subsequent turn.

A player landing on a square the same colour as his piece (or on a square of a colour not represented by a piece in play) may choose any category. tThen he lands on a square of a different colour then the player with the piece of that colour nominates the puzzle. 'Then a player lands on a square of his own colour in the innermost circuit, he may nominate the category. If he solves the puzzle he wins the game otherwise he must throw again next turn and try to land on his home square once more.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

A word game consisting of A playing board consisting of a maze of four concentric quadrilateral circuits of increasingly smaller size.

The first (outermost) circuit measures 335mm by 335mm at its outer perimeter. The second circuit measures 248mm by 24Bmm at its outer perimeter. The third circuit measures 140mm by 143mm at its outer perimeter. The fourth (innermost) circuit measures 62mm by 62mm at its outer perimeter, Each circuit is 20mm wide, The first circuit is 5Omm apart from the second, the second is 30mm apart from the third, and the third is 20mm apart from the fourth. The circuits are connected by sixteen crossover paths (each 20mm wide) marked with arrows.The circuits contain, in all, thirty two coloured squares (4 red, 4 yellow, 4 green, 4 pink, 4 purple, 4 dark blue, 4 orange and 4 turquoise) and one hundred and twelve game squares containing six types of symbol each representing a word game category. The symbols are the same as those depicted in the game cards. The game squares and coloured squares are 20mm by 20mum; Eleven hundred white game cards each measuring llOmm by 90tor. Each card displays the six symbols on the left hand side printed in black with appropriate questions and answers. The questions are printed in black, the answers in red.

Eight playing pieces of the following colours: red, yellow, green, pink, purple, dark blue, orange and turquoise; Two dice; One timing device shaped like an hour glass containing small grains which move from one section of the device to the other in the space of thirty seconds when the device is placed in a vertical position; A set of instructions as to the playing of the game, explanations and examples of each word game category, an indication of some of the variations of the game, and a note on pronunciation and the use of capital letters in the game; Four plastic card containers each measuring 133mm by 80mm and 93mm deep; Two cardboard boxes measuring 295mm by 145mm and IlOmm deep for containing game cards and card containers, playing pieces, timer and dice.