GB2187394A - Question-and-answer board games - Google Patents

Abstract

A board game comprises a board which simulates the appearance of a crossword puzzle, and a display device for sequentially displaying a number of questions and their associated answers. The board has a number of distinctively marked squares - e.g. squares marked with coloured patches. The object of the game is to move a token which is initially placed at the centre of the board to one of the distinctively marked squares by throwing a dice to determine the number of squares which the playing token may be used, and then successfully answering the next question displayed by the display device in order to secure a further opportunity to move the token a distance determined by a further throw of the dice. The display device displays a clue at window (8) and the correctness of the answer can be verified by raising shutter (10) at window (9). The next question can be obtained by rotation of wheel (7). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Board games This invention relates to a board game, and more particularly to a board game which employs a novel board and a novel display device.

According to one aspect of the present invention a board game comprises a board divided into squares some of which are marked with distinctive elements; a playing token for each player to enable the playing position of each player to be marked on the board; move determining means for determining the number of squares a player may move his token when it is his turn to play; and a displaydevicefor displaying a sequence of questions and their answers whereby each player, having moved his token as aforesaid, may be posed a question displayed by the display device and the correctness or otherwise of his answer may be used to determine his right to a further move of his token to an extent determined by the move determining means.

It will be understood that whilst the term "squares" has been used to describe the playing positions into which the board is divided, such playing positions need not be square, and the term "squares" is to be construed accordingly.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the board is got-up after the manner of a crossword puzzle with black squares and white squares. The distinctive elements consist coloured patches located on some only of the black squares. For example, the board may measure 13 squares by 13 squares of which 49 squares are black with 3 black squares carrying a red patch, 3 black squares carrying a yellow patch, 3 black squares carrying a green patch, and 3 black squares carrying a blue patch. The object of the game is for a playerto move his token from a starting pointtooneofthesquares marked with a coloured patch.The playerthen collects a coloured token corresponding to the colour of the patch, and then moves his token to anothersquare marked with acoloured patch to collect a coloured token corresponding to that colour. The process is repeated until the player obtains a predetermined number of different coloured patches which may, for example, correspond to all the coloures displayed on the board, whereupon the game ends.

Movement of the playing token during each player's turn is determined by a combination of a move determining means, e.g. a die, and the player's ability to answer a question or clue displayed by a display device. Each player's turn commences with operation of the move determining means to determine the number of squares which the player may at that stage move his token. After moving his token in this manner he is posed a question which can conveniently be read from the display device by another player. If he is able to answer the question successfully he is entitled to another operation of the move determining means in order to determine a further move of his token.

Preferably, a question and the corresponding answer are simultaneously displayed by the display device, but means are provided for selectively obscuring view of the answer. In this manner, if the player needs to read the question he can be handed the display device with the answer obscured so that he may read the question without learning the answer.

Preferably, at least some of the playing squares carry indicia specifying that assistance may be given to the player if he is unable to answer the question posed. Preferably, the indicia are such as to provide various levels of assistance, as for example the player may be told the first letter of the answer, the number of letters in the answer, etc. If assistance with the answer is required in this manner, such assistance is rendered byanothercompeting player who readsthe answer as displayed bythe display means in orderto provide the required assistance to the player requiring it.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given byway of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 illustrates a playing board; and Figure2 illustrates a display device for use in playing of a game.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 the board 1 comprises a grid of 169 squares 49 of which are coloured black.

Three black squares carry red patches 2; three black patches carry green patches 3; three black squares carry yellow patches 4; and three black squares carry blue patches 5. It will be noted that the arrangement of black squares is symmetrical and that the board mimics the appearance of a crossword puzzle.

Some white squares carry the indicia "3" and some white squares ca rry the indicia "1 ". Such indicia indicate that when a playing token rests on such square a predetermined level of assistance may be granted to the player in answering the question which he is posed.

The questions and answers necessary to play the game are printed on a roll of paper housed within a case 5 ofthe display device 6 illustrated in Figure 2.

The device 6 includes a thumb wheel 7 which may be rotated to locate the questions sequentially below a window 8. When a particular question is located beneath the window8, the answer to that question is located beneath the adjacent window 9. The window 9 may be covered by a hinged cover 10 thereby preventing a playerwho is reading the clue displayed in the window 8 from simultaneously reading the answer.

The preferred embodiment is played in accordance with the following rules: PLAY SET UP is achieved by each player selecting atoken and then rolling the die to decide the order of play. The player rolling the highest number goes first. If two or more players tie, they, and they only, must roll the die again.

PLAY BEGINS with thefirst player rolling the die and counting from the centre square, with their token,the number of squares shown on the die, in a straight line, eithervertically, horizontally or diagonally, across the board. The player may move in one direction only and may not, backtrackwithin that move.

The first clue is rolled into the window of the question machine, by another playerwith the word window closed. the clue is then read to the player. If any assistance is denoted bythe square thatthe player has landed on, the person with the question machine must open the word window and give the letter or letters denoted bythat square to the player, i.e.

1. Awhite square showing the figure "1" denotes the first letter of the word be given.

2. Awhite square showing thy figure "3" denotes the third letter, 7th letter (where a word exceeds 6 letters) and the 1 itch letter (where a word exceeds 10 letters) be given. These are underlined for easy reference.

3. Ablankwhite square denotes that no assistance is given to the player. Ifthe player needs to see the clue, the question machine may be handed to them, temporarily. with the word window closed.

If the player answers the clue correctly, they then roll the die again and the next clue is rolled into the window and posed when the player has made their move, and soon until the player cannot give an answer, orthe word they give is incorrect, when the turn passes to the player on their left. Time limits for answers may be set by the players.

A player during their turn may pass over a plain black square, but on no account may they finish their move resting on a plain blacksquare. If the only move isto a plain blacksquare, then the turn is forfeited and the play passes to the player on their left. This rule applies to the centre start square also.

A players token must be moved in accordance with the rules before a clue is posed.Any number of tokens may rest on one square.

PLAY CONTINUES after a turn is ended with the next player on the left and the next clue one question machine.

THE GAME OBJECTIVE is to land on the black squares that have the four different score colours denoted. On landing on one of these score squares, a player will collect a score marker of that colour, provided they do not already have that colour, by answering the next clue on the question machine correctly. No assistance is given with the word in this case. The score marker is placed in one of the holes provided on the playing token. If the player already hasascore marker markerofthatcolour,thesquare is treated as a white assistance square showing the figure "1".

There are two methods of scoring the game to selectthe winner. These vary the game in both the speed it can becompletedandthedegreeof difficulty in play. They are asfollows: THE NOVICE GAME is won by the first playerto collect a set offour different colour score markers.

THE MASTER GAME has points awarded for correctly answered clues: 1 Pointfora 1 square.

2 Points for a 3 square.

3 Pointsfora plain white square.

5 Points for a score marker.

The game is completed with the first player to collect a set of four different colour score markers butthe winner is the player with the highest points total.

Other variations to the standard rules are allowed provided they are agreed and understood by all players concerned: a. The white assistance squares may be ignored and either no letter at all is given or any letter or combination of letters within the word may be given, as decided by the players.

Assistance squares in the basic games are laid out in such a manner that information given is more helpful as the difficulty of scoring increases.

b. Players may be asked to spell correctly answered words.

c. Aclue incorrectly answered may be offered to the next player on theirturn. If rejected theywill get the next clue on the question machine.

d. Players may move either vertically and horizontally only or diagonally only.

e. Any combination of the above variations.

The game may be supplied with several sets of clues, and additional sets of clues are preferably available for purchase. In this manner, the difficulty ofthe game may readily be varied to meet the skill of the players, the game may be played with either standard or cryptic clues, and the game may be played with rules specific to a particu lartopic.

Claims (9)

1. Aboard game comprising: aboard divided into squares some of which are marked with distinctive elements; a playing token for each player to enable the playing position of each playerto be marked on the board; move determining means for determining the number of squares a player may move his token when it is his turn to play; and a display device for displaying a sequence of questions and their answers whereby each player, having moved his token as aforesaid, may be posed a question displayed by the display device and the correctness or otherwise of his answer may be used to determine his rightto a further move of his token to an extent determined bythe move determining means.

2. A board game according to claim 1 wherein the board includes a plurality of black squares and a plurality of white squares laid out in the manner of a crossword puzzle.

3. A board game according to claim 2 wherein the distinctive elements comprise coloured markings associated with some only of the black squares.

4. A board game according to any preceding claim wherein the display device simultaneously displays a question and its associated answer, and is provided with means for selectively obscuring view of the answer.

5. A board game according to any preceding claim wherein at least some of the playing squares carry indicia specifying that assistance may be given two a player in answering the question posed to him.

6. A board game according to claim Swherein the playing squares carrying a plurality of indicia respectively specifying a plurality of different levels of assistance.

7. A board game according to any preceding claim wherein each playing token is adapted to receive a plurality of indicators, whereby having successfully attained a square marked with a distinctive element, a player may furnish his token with an indicator corresponding to the distinctive element, so as to show in subsequent play that he has attained a square corresponding to the distinctive indicator.

8. A board game according to claim 7 wherein the game ends when an player has attained a predetermined number of different indicators.

9. A board game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.