GB2198359A - Game - Google Patents

Abstract

The game consists of twenty seven identical-sized cubes having noughts and crosses marked respectively on three faces, and means, e.g. a transparent cubic box, adapted to hold the cubes in a cubic array. Partitions divide the interior space of the box into nine square section columns. The players, each designated a "nought" or a "cross", place the cubes in the box in turn to build up the array and score by the number of lines of noughts or crosses they are able to arrange. At the end of the game the box can be lifted and the underside inspected for further hitherto unseen scoring lines. <IMAGE>

Description

GAME Field of the Invention The invention relates to apparatus for playing a game which is a progression of the well know popular game known as "Noughts and Crosses".

The game Noughts and Crosses is extremely well know and is extremely popular with people of all ages, including qulte young children. The main reason for this is that although its rules are very simple, there is an element of skill involved in playing it. In this game which is played by two players, a grid is drawn to show a square marked into nine squares. One player chooses and is represented by a nought and the other player chooses and is represented by a cross. The players in turn write in their respective symbol in a square in an attempt to arrange matters such that they create three squares in a row either vertically, horizontally or diagonally on the page including their symbol. The player who achieves such a line is deemed to be the winner.

Thus, the advantage of the game is that it can be quickly played but it does have a limitation that there are only a limited number of permutations in which the noughts and crosses can be arranged on the grid and, therefore, after a relatively short time of playing, its attractions can pall.

Review of the Prior Art Attempts have been made to create an extension of the game noughts and crosses into three dimensional form to add more permutations to the game. Once such attempt is one which uses a frame which holds a number of square platforms arranged vertically spaced one above the other. Each platform is marked into a grid containing, for instance, sixteen squares. In this case there will be four platforms. Instead of each player choosing a nought or a cross, they choose a colour and the game is played with a set of counters of different colours.

Each player attempts to create a line in three dimensions, instead of just in one dimension and the game is played in accordance with rules which specify that instead of finishing the game as soon as one line Is created, the game continues until all the playing positions on all the platforms are covered and then the total number of lines for each player is counted to give a score.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with the invention there is provided apparatus for playing a game comprising a set of cubes, the number of cubes in the set being equal to x cubed, where x is greater than or equal to three, the cubes having substantially identical shape and size, and the cubes having marked upon them a set of indicia, the set including at least two indicia visually readily distinguishable from each other, each face of each cube being marked with one only of said indicia and each indicia in the set being marked on each cube, the apparatus including holding means to hold the set of cubes together to form a larger cube of side equal to length of x cubes.

The apparatus being played in accordance with a set of rules which specify: that each player chooses and is then deemed to be represented by one of the set of indicia; that the cubes are to be arranged in turn to form said larger cube using said holding means, the larger cube being formed by each player in turn placing a single small cube in position and in which each player aims to arrange the cubes such that a maximum number of lines of their own indicia are created, the winner of the game being the player who creates the largest number of lines with their own indicia.

The game may be played where the number of players are equal to the number of indicia in the set or, alternatively, with a set of teams equal to the number of indicia in the set. Preferably and most simply, the set of indicia is equal to two.

The indicia used may be any visually distinctive indicia, for example different colours, different shapes but preferably the indicia are respectively a nought and a cross. In this way, the connection with the traditional game of noughts and crosses is maintained.

It is possible for the game to be played in which the cubes are not marked identically. For example, one cube may have five faces marked with one indicia and one face marked with another, whilst others of the set include four faces marked with one indicia and two marked with the other. However, it is preferred that all the cubes are identical since this simplifies the structure of the game considerably.

In order to give each player an equal chance when playing the game, preferably the number of faces marked with one indicia is equal to the number of faces marked with another indicia. Thus, in the case where there are two indicia used, three faces of each cube is marked with one and three faces is marked with another.

When marking the faces of a. cube with two indicia equally, there are two different ways of arranging the different faces.

It has been found that the best arrangement is formed where each corner of the cube is at the corner of three edges adjoining two faces with one indicia and one face marked with the other indicia, rather than in the alternative arrangement where two corners of the cube are corners of three edges between three faces marked with the same Indicia.

Preferably the number of cubes in the apparatus is equal to twenty-seven since this gives the game more interest without making it too lengthy and time consuming.

Preferably the game is played in accordance with rules which specify that as a row of indicia is formed the player scores a point so that rows which are subsequently hidden by a cube adjacent them will still be counted.

Preferably the rules specify that the scoring lines can only be formed if they lie in one plane.

The holding means holding the cubes together may comprise co-operable engaging means mounted on each of the cubes, which allow a pair of cubes to become attached to each other with two faces in contact. In this way the large cube will be made up by gradually attaching each small cube to a starting cube.

However, it is preferred that the means holding the cubes together in relation to one another comprises a cube shaped box having transparent faces and having an open top via which the small cubes can be introduced into it. Preferably the box includes four planar divider members which divide the cube up into nine vertical columns of square cross section.

In this way the exact position of each of the cubes is carefully defined.

Preferably the game is played such that at least one face of the large cube is hidden from view until the large cube has been completed. This conveniently will be the base of the cube which will lie on the surface supporting the apparatus during the progress of the game. In this way, at the end of the game, the finished cube can be lifted up and the base face of the cubes studied to find out how many rows each player has exposed on this face. This introduces an element of surprise at the end of the game.

In the case where the means holding the small cubes together into a large cube is a box, preferably the box includes a lid attachable to the top of the box at the end of the game once the box is full to hold the cubes in place when the box is up-ended to find out which indicia are shown on the bottom face of the cube.

The small cubes can be any rigid material and conveniently can be wood or plastics. The open-topped box is preferably made from the material sold under the Trade Mark PERSPEX.

Brief Description of the Drawings An example of apparatus for playing a game in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cube forming part of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a perspective schematic view showing the game in progress; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the box forming part of the apparatus; and Figure 4 is a close-up view of the top of the box showing the lid in place.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Apparatus for playing a game comprises twenty-seven identical cubes all of identical shape and size.

Each cube 1 has marked upon it noughts and crosses which are clearly visually readily distinguishable from each other.

Each face of each cube is marked with one only of the indicia and each indicia is marked on each cube.

In this case it has been found that the best arrangement is given as shown in Figure 1 in which three faces of the cube are marked with noughts and three faces are marked with a cross. These faces are arranged such that each corner 2 is at the intersection of three edges which join three faces, two of which are marked with the same indicia and one of which is marked with a different indicia. As can be seen from Figure 1 this applies to each corner of the cube.

Twenty-seven of these cubes are used to play the game and the aim of the game is to arrange these cubes into a larger cube of length equal to three cubes. The apparatus includes holding means to hold the cubes together into the larger cube which is shown in Figure 3. This means comprises a box 3 which is cube shape of side equal to three cube lengths and is made from a transparent material so that faces of the cube can be seen. The box 3 is open-topped and includes four dividers 4 each of which is in Itself transparent which divide the cube 3 into nine vertical columns 5 of square cross section.

The size of the columns 5 are such that cube 1 can be readily slipped into the column 5. Although the box 3 is open-topped it has a lid 6 which is slideable into position at the end of the game. This is shown in detail in Figure 4. The sides 7 of the box 3 include a groove 8 running along their upper edge and the lid 6 has tongs 9 which fit within grooves 8.

Since the lid 6 is only introduced at the end of the game there is no reason for the lid to be transparent. However conveniently it is made from the same material as the rest of the box 3.

Figure 2 represents the different stages involved in playing the game. To start the game each player or each team of players chooses one of noughts and crosses and for the rest of the game is deemed to be represented by that particular symbol, the other player or team being left with the other indicla. If the game is to be played by two people each player is given thirteen cubes and the remaining cube is used as a form of die and thrown to indicate which player will start the game. The first player then places a cube 1 within the box 3 in any position and in any orientation that he wishes.

The players take it in turns to arrange a cube in the box in an attempt to form a row of matching indicia. It will be appreciated that in some cases two or more rows can be formed at the same time. This is shown in Figure 2 by rows 10 and 11 . When the player placed the top cube on this column he forms not only one row 10 but also a further row 11 of noughts on a different face of the cubes which gives the player represented by a nought two points, However, in some cases as shown on lines 12 and 13 there are times when in achieving a row of his own indicia a player may also inadvertently form a row of his opponents indicia giving them both a point.

As each row is formed the points are added to a player's score.

It should be noted that rows formed which are invisible do not give the player a point Referring to a line 14 in Figure 2, if cube 16 was in position when row 15 was completed then the noughts player gains no point. However, if cube 16 at the time of completing row 15 was not present, then the player would have achieved a point for that row. It should be noted that in order to gain a point the row must be on the same plane and not as represented by the cross 17 on the cube 16, cross 18 and cross 19 which is partially obscured in Figure 2. Even though these crosses are aligned they are not in the same plane and this means that the player represented by crosses does not achieve a point for this row.

The player inserts cubes into box 3 until the box 3 is full.

Once the cube is completed the lid 6 is slid into place so that the base of the box which during the progress of the earlier stages of play was obscured due to it being in contact with the supporting surface of the apparatus can be studied by up-ending the box 3. The lid 6 holds all the cubes in position. Thus, the base can be studied to find out how many rows of noughts or crosses are being formed there. This introduces an element of surprise right at the end of the game which adds a twist to it.

Claims (13)

1. Apparatus for playing a game comprising a cubic number, whose root is at least three, of substantially identically sized cubes and holding means adapted to support them in a cubic array, each face of each cube bearing an indicium the indicia on at least two faces of each cube being visually distinguishable and the same as those on the corresponding faces of the other cubes.

2. Apparatus for playing a game comprising a set of cubes, the number of cubes in the set being equal to x cubed, where x is greater than or equal to three, the cubes having substantially identical shape and size, and the cubes having marked upon them a set of indicia, the set including at least two indicia visually readily distinguishable from each other, each face of each cube being marked with one only of said indicia and each indicia in the set being marked on each cube, the apparatus including holding means to hold the set of cubes together to form a larger cube of side equal to length of x cubes.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 in which the said indicia are respectively a nought and a cross.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in which all the cubes are identical.

5. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims in which each cube bears the same three indicia each marked on two faces thereof.

6. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4 in which each cube bears the same two indicia each marked on three faces thereof.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6 in which the arrangement of indicia is such that each corner of each cube is at the corner of three edges adjoining two faces with one indicium and one face marked with the other indicium.

8. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims in which the number is twenty seven.

9. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims in which the holding means comprises cooperable engaging means mounted on each cube which allow a pair of cubes to be attached to each other with two faces in contact.

10. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 8 in which the holding means comprises a cube shaped box having transparent faces and an open top.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10 in which the box has a removable lid.

12. Apparatus according to Claims 10 or 11 in which the box includes four planar divider members which divide the interior space into nine vertical columns of square cross section.

13. Apparatus for planning a game substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.