GB2145000A

GB2145000A - Board game apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2145000A
Application number: GB08321439A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leonard Mckenley Austin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-08-09
Filing date: 1983-08-09
Publication date: 1985-03-20
Also published as: GB8321439D0

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a board having at least one set 11 of character spaces 12, each character space 12 receiving a plurality of character elements 16, 17, 18 to make up a character, and a plurality of each of the different character elements 16, 17, 18. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Board game This invention relates to a board game. The game is based on exercising skill in guessing a word set by an opponent, using steadily increasing knowledge of the component parts of the letters of the word.

The invention proposes a board game com prising a board having at least one set of character spaces, each character space being intended to receive character elements so as to build up any character from a plurality of elements, and a large number of each of a number of different character elements match ing said spaces. In one form of the invention, the characters are alphabetic, and there are three different character elements each straight but of different lengths. The board preferably carries a display of how the stylized characters are built up from the character elements, and each character space shows a matrix upon which to place the elements.

in order that the invention shall be clearly understood, an exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to the drawing, which shows a board layout.

The board shown has four main elements: a display 10 which shows how the letters of the alphabet are constructed from character elements; a field 11 of fifteen character spaces 12; a concealed field 1 3 of fifteen character spaces 14; and a scoring chart 15.

The display 10 shows each letter made up of straight lines of three lengths only-long 16, short 17 and diagonal 18. The respective lengths may be identified by three different colours, for example, long 1 6 blue, short 1 7 red and diagonal 1 8 green, and the letters in the display may be printed in corresponding fashion. Each letter is based on a matrix of nine points lying on a square, with one point in the middle. As shown, for example, R is made up of one long, two diagonal and three short character elements.

The spaces 1 2 of the field 11 are each marked with a matrix of nine points, and each is numbered for ease of identification.

The concealed field 1 3 has a set of blank spaces 14, each to receive a whole letter printed on a piece of card, so that a complete word of up to fifteen characters can be laid out and then concealed by covering, for example, with a strip of card the length of the field 13.

The scoring chart 1 5 has three parts The first two 20,21 are for each player or team and record by means of a movable slider 22 a score above or below a centre zero. The third part 23 is the so-calied 'par' chart and has a slider 22 for indicating a value applicable to a word in use at a particular time.

In addition to the board, there is provided a large number, say 50 each, of character elements of each length 16, 17, 1 8. The ele ments may be of plastic, wood or metal and are preferably also coloured to correspond.

The lengths are matched to fit the matrices of the spaces 12, so that any letter can be laid out in a space in exactly the style shown in the display 1 0.

The game may be played between two players (or two teams) as follows: It is decided by chance, e.g. toss of a coin, which player shall start, and thereafter each round is taken by the players alternately.

One player A starts by choosing a word up to 1 5 letters and, unseen by the opponent B, spells this in the concealed field 1 3 with the individual whole letters supplied. This is then covered and not reveaied until the end of the round. In addition, the player 1 gives a clue to the identity of each letter by placing in each letter space 1 2 of field 11 one character element, corresponding to the number of letters in the chosen word. The element so placed must correspond in length (colour) and position with an element of the actual letter as shown in the display 10. The usefulness of the clue is minimised by player A choosing that element in each case which gives least definite information as to the letter concerned.

Finally, a 'par' value is shown in part 23 of the scoring chart 1 5. This is a value of twenty times the letter count of the word.

The objective of the opponent B is to find out the word chosen while losing a minimum of points. Points are lost or gained in a number of ways as will be described. The final score of the opponent B for the round is the difference between the points lost and the par value. The score is recorded, either + or -, on the score part 20 or 21 allocated to player B. A score below the par value counts -, and vice versa.

Play proceeds for the round by the opponent B requesting the placing of one character elements of specified length (or colour) in one particular character space. If such an element is indeed needed for that character, player A must place it in the correct position in the space, but if more than one is needed he may choose the least informative position. The opponent B will gain points according to the length of the correct element: long 10, short 1 5 and diagonal 5. If the element of that length is not needed, the opponent loses 1 5 points.

Requests are made one at a time until sufficient elements are placed in the letters for the opponent to feel confident enough to guess the full word. If correct, the concealed field is uncovered to prove the fact; if incorrect, opponent B suffers a penalty of 40 points, and the round continues. When finally correct, the final score for that round is taken from part 23 and transferred to part 20 or 21 appropriately.

The player and opponent roles are then reversed and a further round is played. A game may consist of, for example, 8 rounds, and the lowest final score wins.

Various modifications are possible. The character may be numeric, and the 'word' chosen may be a numeric relationship, e.g.

"40 - 8 = 5". The matrix need not be 9 points, and there may be more than three types of character elements. Moreover, the elements may include curves-thus, the make-up of the characters may be altogether different from that shown in the display 10 of the drawing.

The concealed field 1 3 is quite inessential since the word chosen may simply be written down. The same is true of the scoring chart 1 5.

Further rules may be specified, barring the plurals of words, proper names, etc.

Claims

1. A board game comprising a board having at least one set of character spaces, each character space being adapted to receive a plurality of character elements to make up a character, and a number of each of a plurality of different character elements adapted to fit into the character spaces.

2. A board game as claimed in claim 1, wherein two different character elements are provided, each character element being in the form of a substantially straight element but being of two different lengths.

3. A board game as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein three different character elements are provided, each character element being in the form of a substantially straight element but being of three different lengths.

4. A board game as claimed in claim 3, wherein each character space is of square shape, one of the character elements being of a length equal to the length of one side of the square, a second of the character elements being of a length equal to half the length of one side of the square and the third character element being of a length equal to half the diagonal of the square.

5. A board game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each character space is marked out with indications for indicating the possible positions of the character elements.

6. A board game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the character spaces are each arranged to enable stylised alphabetic characters to be made up.

7. A board game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the character spaces are each arranged to enable stylised numeric characters to be built up.

8. A board game as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the board is provided with an indication of all the permissable stylised characters which can be used.

9. A board game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein each of the different character elements has a different colour, all like character elements being of the same colour.

1 0. A board game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a number of character spaces are provided in a row adjacent to each other sufficient to make up a word and/or a mathematical expression.

11. A board game as claimed in claim 10, wherein fifteen character spaces are provided in the row.

1 2. A board game as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein two rows of character spaces are provided, one of which is provided with means for concealing it.

1 3. A board game as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the board is provided with means for keeping a score.

14. A board game as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means for keeping a score comprise a plurality of slidable pointers, each associated with a stationary scale.

1 5. A board game substantially as described herein with reference to the drawing.