Amusement devices: games – Board games – pieces – or boards therefor – Word – sentence – or equation forming
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-31
2001-11-20
Pierce, William M. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Board games, pieces, or boards therefor
Word, sentence, or equation forming
C273S429000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318722
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to puzzles, such as word puzzles, and also to board-type games incorporating the word puzzles. The puzzles and/or games may be implemented electronically or non-electronically. The invention can be used for educational and/or entertainment purposes, for example.
2. Description of Related Art
Many word games, puzzles, and knowledge games are commonly known. It is not difficult to find puzzles or games involving:
a goal to be entertaining and educational;
the use of clues and clue-hiding devices;
the use of general knowledge or trivia or vocabulary;
the use of a game board to track progress;
the use of categories for words or information; and/or
the use of timing devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an intriguing and challenging forum that has entertainment and educational value. In regards to educational value, it builds vocabulary, improves spelling, enhances general knowledge, and develops critical thinking skills.
According to one aspect of this invention, a sought-after solution (answer) of a particular word puzzle includes a plurality of sequentially adjacent words from a particular reference list. Therefore, a player(s) knows in advance that the answer is comprised of words that are adjacent to one another in a sequentially ordered list of all words from a given category. The sequential order may be alphabetical order, chronological order, or the like.
According to another aspect of this invention, a pictorial instruction is provided that instructs a player(s) how to proceed in a particular round of play. The pictorial instruction may comprise a picture that includes blocks, such as rectangular or other-shaped boxes, positionally corresponding to respective clues on a word puzzle. Particular blocks are marked, e.g. by shading, highlighting or the like, to designate that the positionally corresponding clues are to be revealed.
The present invention provides an enjoyable and effective game that tests and improves critical thinking, spelling, general knowledge, and vocabulary skills. Although adaptable to electronic media, such as a computer screen, a television screen, an electronic game board or the like, this invention may be implemented in a simple and easily-manufactured structure that is easy to understand and use, and which may be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost.
The present invention provides a word puzzle game for entertainment and/or educational use. The game includes at least one word puzzle. The word puzzle answer includes a plurality of words or phrases that are sequentially adjacent in a reference listing of all words or phrases from a given category. The reference listing may possibly be, but is not limited to, alphabetical order, chronological order, as-published order, or a particular rank order. The puzzle also includes a plurality of clues. The clues may possibly be, but are not limited to, definitions, descriptions, specific characters of an answer word or phrase, and lengths, i.e., number of characters, of an answer word or phrase. The game includes at least one clue-hiding device that hides and reveals the clues and the answers of the puzzle. The game may also include a game board to measure the progress of the player(s). The game board may use a pictorial instruction technique, in which a picture includes blocks positionally corresponding to respective clues on the word puzzle. Particular ones of the blocks may be marked, e.g. by shading, highlighting or the like, to designate that the positionally corresponding clues are to be revealed The present invention also provides methods for playing a game involving such word puzzles.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5813672 (1998-09-01), Loud, Jr.
patent: 5899456 (1999-05-01), Weinstock et al.
“Anybody's Guess™, the Riotous Fame of Revealing Clues”, Game Concept W.R. Karp & Co., 1990 Western Publishing Company, Inc.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Pierce William M.
LandOfFree
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