FR2482335A2 - Crossword puzzle control and aid device - assigns numeric code to each square and access to memory containing letters through keyboard and display - Google Patents

Abstract

The development of a crossword puzzle game is aided by assigning a numerical code to each square of the puzzle. The operator reads the numeric code and enters it at a keyboard. The keyboard communicates with a memory device which holds both question and answer associated with the word which includes the letter occupying that square. Similarly the information may be accessed by someone completing the puzzle by operating the keyboard to move a cursor to a square in which difficulty is encountered and interrogating the memory to obtain a display of the letter occupying that square.

Description

Device for controlling and assisting the progress of a game, in particular a crossword puzzle.

 The present addition relates to an improvement to the device for controlling and assisting the progress of a game, in particular a crossword puzzle.

The main patent relates to a device which comprises a card on which are indicated the indications relating to the game and> on the edge of the card coded information giving the solution of the game, said edge of the card being capable of being disposed in front of a means reader from which the information is transmitted to a control and information processing unit and to a storage means, said control and information processing unit being connected to a keyboard for controlling the recording of information in the means of memorization and for the restitution and display of the information stored in the memory which correspond to a question asked by a player
However, it has been found that the device according to the main patent can be simplified by eliminating a certain number of organos
In accordance with the addition, in each box of the crossword puzzle, when the latter is printed, there is a code number which is read by the operator and entered into the storage means of the control device. and operator assistance using the keyboard. This arrangement therefore makes it possible to eliminate the optical reading means which appeared in the device which is the subject of the main patent.

 Furthermore, the storage means is therefore less important, since it concerns only one box and not the entire grid, as indicated in the main patent.

 When printing the crossword puzzle grid, account is taken of the device's decoding algorithm for marking the grid.

 To use the device, the operator reads the code numbers which appear on the boxes of the grid and transmits them to the memory means via the keyboard. Then the player can start filling in the grid in the usual way using the information on the card.

 When he cannot identify a letter, the player acts on the keys of the keyboard which correspond to the horizontal and vertical position of the sought letter, so as to cause the operation of the central unit which searches in the memory for the corresponding letter which is displayed in one of the windows of the device, while in another window, the alphanumeric references of the grid appear.

 Of course, the description is not limiting and those skilled in the art can make modifications without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (1)

 CLAIM  Device for controlling and assisting the progress of a game, in particular a crossword puzzle, according to claim 1, of the main patent, characterized in that, in each box of the crossword puzzle, is carried, when printing the latter, a code number which is read by the operator and entered into a means of memorizing the control device and assistance by the operator by means of the keyboard.