GB2087736A - Word game - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a base (10), a plurality of parallel equi-distantly spaced vertical guides (11) carried by the base and a plurality of tiles (13). 110 tiles bear a coloured letter of the alphabet on each side, 25 are black and 5 are white. A column of tiles can be assembled between each pair of adjacent guide members to form an interlocking crossword. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for playing a game This invention relates to apparatus for playing a game.

The invention provides apparatus for playing a game, comprising a base, a plurality of parallel equi-distantly spaced vertically or substantially vertically extending guide members carried by the base, and a plurality of tiles at least some of which bear a letter of the alphabet on one or both faces and at least some of which are blank on one or both faces, the arrangement being such that a column of tiles can be assembled between each pair of adjacent guide members to form an interlocking crossword.

Preferably, the guide members are of I-shaped cross-section each defining two back-to-back grooves for receiving one edge of each tile of one column and the opposite edge of each tile of an adj acent column respectively.

Preferably, each guide member has a projection at its lower end which is received in a corresponding socket or hole in the base. In this case, the projections may be releasably received in respective sockets or holes in the base.

Alternatively, the guide members are of T-shaped cross-section and are secured to a vertically or substantially vertically extending support plate so that when viewed in cross-section the head of each shaped guide is remote from the support plate. In this case, the support plate may be transparent and, conveniently, the support plate and guide members are releasably attached to the base.

Advantageously, the apparatus further comprises a security bar for releasable attachment to the upper ends of the guide members to prevent accidental removal of tiles.

Preferably, the blank tile faces are of contrasting colourto the letter bearing tile faces and, advantageously, each tile bearing a letter has identical letters on its opposite faces and each tile having a blank face has two blank faces.

Preferably, the base, guide members and tiles are formed of plastics material.

The invention will now be more particularly described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of various tiles, and Figure 3 is a fragmentary, plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus shown therein comprises a base 10 and fifteen parallel, equidistantly spaced vertically extending pillars 11 upstanding from the base. The lower end of each pillar 11 is provided with a projection (not shown) which fits into a corresponding hole or socket (not shown) of complementary shape in the base 10. Preferably, the projections can be withdrawn from the holes or sockets in the base in order to enable the apparatus to be stored in compact fashion.

Each projection is of I-shaped cross-section and hence defines two back-to-back grooves. Thus, each pair of adjacent pillars has a groove 12a and a groove 1 2b which face each other for receiving a vertical column of tiles 13. The height of the pillars 11 and the dimensions of the tiles 13 are such that each pair of adjacent pillars can receive ten tiles one on top of the other.

The apparatus also comprises 140 tiles of which 110 bear letters of the alphabet on a white background, 5 of which are "wild" tiles which are plain white and 25 of which are blank spacer tiles of contrasting colour to the letter bearing and "wild" tiles, e.g. are black. The "wild" tiles can be used to represent any letter of the alphabet designated by a player.

Preferably, each letter bearing tile contains the same letter of the alphabet on both faces, but preferably the letter on the two faces of the tile is of contrasting colour, e.g. red and green.

Hence, a fully interlocking crossword can be assembled within chosen confines, the gap between words being defined by the spacertiles.

The base 10, pillars 11 and tiles 13 are all preferably formed of plastics material. The two end pillars 11, instead of being of I-shaped cross-section, can be of C-shaped cross-section.

A security bar (not shown) could be provided for releasable attachment to the upperendsofthepil- lars 11 to prevent accidental removal of tiles.

If desired, a backing plate which may be transparent or opaque, or a transparent front cover may be secured to each pillar 11. However, it is important that either the rear or front face of each column of tiles is accessible in order that selected tiles can be removed without having to invert the apparatus.

Indeed, if a backing plate or front cover is used, the pillars could be of T-shaped cross-section and in this case the pillars will be secured to the backing plate or front cover so that when viewed in cross-section the head of each T-shaped pillar is remote from the plate or cover. When a backing plate or cover is used, this could be secured or releasably connected to the base 10 and the pillars could terminate at their lower ends in spaced relationship to the upper surface of the base. However, in this case, it will be necessary to provide means for preventing the tiles from dropping below the lower ends of the pillars.

As described above, the pillars extend vertically, but it is to be appreciated that they may be inclined art a small angle to the vertical.

Obviously, numerous different sets of rules can be compiled for playing a game with the aforementioned apparatus, but two examples are given below. In each example, the player or players will select the number of columns which are to be brought into play before starting.

In the first example, for playing a game solo, the rules are: 1. Place all the tiles into a bag and mix well.

2. Without looking, draw as many tiles from the bag as playing columns selected.

E.G. 12 playing columns-12 tiles 6 playing columns 6 tiles 3. From the drawn tiles make up the best word you can and place into the grid. If it is not possible to form a word from the drawn tiles return them to the bag and draw again. This first word can be placed in the grid with the red letters showing, and must not be removed for the duration of the game. The rest of the game may be played with the green letters facing you.

4. The remaining tiles can now be emptied from the bag and openly spread out in front of you.

5. Taking your first word as a base, construct a crossword from it, using any combination of letter bearing tiles, "wild" tiles and black spacer tiles as you see fit. Rememberthatthe "wild" tiles can signify any letters that you choose but must remain the same letter for all words formed with it for the duration of the game.

6. The crossword must have integrity in both horizontal and vertical directions hence forming a crossword in the traditional style.

7. Only words found in a standard dictionary should be used. No proper nouns, foreign words, abbreviations or words requiring apostrophies or hyphens should be used.

8. You may find that a position is reached from where it seems impossible to carry on. At this stage you may remove as many letters or words as you see fit, as long as the original word, i.e. the red lettered tiles, remain unchanged.

9. The game is finished when your chosen playing grid has been completed.

In the second example, for 2 players or 2 teams of players, the grid is divided into 2 panels of equal playing spaces for each team and the rules are: 1. Acoin is tossed and the winner chooses which colour he will play and draws as many tiles from the bag as playing spaces chosen with which the makes up the best word he can. This word he places in the grid in either the horizontal or vertical mode, with the reverse colourto his play colour facing him.

Score is then calculated as below. This word cannot be disturbed or added to for the duration of the game.

2. If any player cannot form a word the tiles are then shown to the opposing players who if they can form a word are credited with double score for it. If no word can be formed, the tiles are returned and re-drawn.

3. The other player or team now drawtheirtiles and score in the same way.

4. When both players orteams are underway, the tiles are removed from the bag and spread out in front of both.

5. Each player or team in turn nowtake one tile in each play and build up a fully integrated cross word using the lettered the wild and the black spacer tiles.

Remember that the wild tiles can signify any letter that you choose, but must remain the same letter for all words formed with it for the duration of the game.

6. The crosswords as constructed must have integrity in both horizontal and vertical directions forming a crossword in the traditional style.

7. The words used can be any word found in a standard English Dictionary. No proper nouns, foreign words, abbreviations or words requiring apostrophies or hyphens may be used.

8. As the scores given belowshow,the largerthe word formed the large the score awarded. Do remember however, that all the words you form have to fit in with each other. Ifyou end up in a jammed position then you will have to dismantle whatyou have builtatthe rate of only one tile per turn, deducting from your score the value of the word being dismantled e.g. if dismantling DRAWER by E and R to leave draw then when R is removed deduct 20 points for a six letter word, but when the E is removed deduct nothing as DRAWE is not a word.

9. Should one player or team observe that the opposing team have built a word which is not permissible within the rules or is incorrectly spelt, they may 'challenge'. The dictionary shall be used to refer to and should the challenge be upheld, the offending word or words must be removed as 8 above with its atendant loss of points.

10. Players should aim to build words upon words so that a high score is achieved, e.g. building the word WITHDRAWAL scores:- WIT 3 points WITH 4 points WITHDRAW 70 points WITHDRAWAL 180 points TOTAL 257 SCORE 2 letter word 1 point 3 letter word 3 points 4 letter word 8 points 5 letter word 12 points 6 letter word 20 points 7 letter word 40 points 8 letter word 70 points 9 letter word 110 points 10 letter word 180 points

Claims (12)

1. Apparatus for playing a game, comprising a base, a plurality of parallel equi-distantly spaced vertically or substantially vertically extending guide members carried by the base, and a plurality of tiles at least some of which bear a letter of the alphabet on one or both faces and at least some of which are blank on one or both faces, the arrangement being such that a column of tiles can be assembled between each pair of adjacent guide members to form an interlocking crossword.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide members are of I-shaped cross-section each defining two back-to-back grooves for receiving one edge of each tile of one column and the opposite edge of each tile of an adjacent column respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each guide member has a projection at its lower end which is received in a corresponding socket or hole in the base.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the projections are releasably received in respective sockets or holes in the base.

5. Theapparatusofclaim 1, wherein the guide members are of T-shaped cross-section and are secured to a vertically or substantially vertically extending support plate so that when viewed in cross section the head of each T-shaped guide is remote from the support plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the support plate is transparent.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the support plate and guide members are releasably attached to the base.

8. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a security bar for releasable attachment to the upper ends of the guide members to prevent accidental removal of tiles.

9. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the blank tile faces are of contrasting colour to the letter bearing tile faces.

10. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each tile bearing a letter has identical letters on its opposite faces and each tile having a blank face has two blank faces.

11. The appartus of any one of the preceding claims, and formed of plastics material.

12. Apparatus for playing a game, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. ~~~~~~~~~~~