GB2277692A

GB2277692A - Apparatus for playing a game

Info

Publication number: GB2277692A
Application number: GB9309196A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Samson King-Fai Wong
Original assignee: WONG SAMSON KING FAI
Current assignee: WONG SAMSON KING FAI
Priority date: 1993-05-05
Filing date: 1993-05-05
Publication date: 1994-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-05
Also published as: GB2277692B; GB9309196D0

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a board 10 marked with a playing path 12 divided into a plurality of playing areas 13 most of which each bear a letter of the alphabet, a dice or other random number generating means for determining the distance which a player should move a playing piece along the playing path, and means, preferably a card, indicating at least one word which a player should attempt to complete by landing on playing areas bearing the appropriate letters. <IMAGE>

Description

APParatus for plaving a zame This invention relates to apparatus for playing a game.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for playing a game, comprising a board marked with a playing path along which one or more playing pieces can be moved, the playing path being divided into a plurality of playing areas at least some of which each bear a letter of the alphabet, random number generating means for determining the distance which a player should move the or one of the playing pieces along the playing path, and means indicating at least one word which a player should attempt to complete by landing on playing areas bearing the appropriate letters.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a plurality of tiles each bearing a letter of the alphabet.

Preferably, the indicating means comprises a plurality of cards each bearing one or more words which a player should attempt to complete. In this case and where tiles are provided, each of the cards, preferably, also bears at least one matrix on which the tiles can be placed to make up the word or words on the card. Alternatively, the cards each bear only a single word and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of further cards each of which bears a grid on which the tiles can be placed to make up the words on selected first mentioned cards.

Preferably, the playing path comprises a plurality of different routes which a player may take.

Conveniently, one or more of the playing areas bears an indication that a player may select any letter of the alphabet if landing on this or these playing areas.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a playing board for a game according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a plan view of a card for the game.

Referring to the drawings, the game shown therein comprises a playing board 10, a plurality of matrix cards 11, one more playing pieces (not shown), a dice (not shown), and a plurality of letter tiles (not shown).

The playing board 10 is marked with a playing path 12 along which one or more playing pieces can be moved. The playing path 12 has four outer limbs 12a-d extending around the outer edge of the board and four inner limbs 12e-h giving a player a choice of routes to take. The playing path is divided into a plurality of playing areas 13. The areas 13a each bear a letter of the alphabet and the areas 13b each bear a legend, in this case the word 'matrix'. As shown, there are 64 playing areas 13a bearing each letter of the alphabet at least once and there are 8 playing areas 13b. Each corner of the playing path 12 is marked with a symbol 14 representing a house.

The matrix cards 11 each bear at least one but preferably as shown several words and a grid 15 alongside the words.

The tiles (not shown) are square tiles, typically of cardboard or plastics material, and each bears a letter of the alphabet. These tiles fit in the squares of the grid 15.

The game may be played according to the following rules:1. Each player selects a playing piece and is given or takes one of the matrix cards 11.

2. The players throw the dice in turn. The player with the highest score starts.

3. Each player chooses a house 14. This becomes the starting point for his playing piece.

4. Starting from the "house 14", the player moves his playing piece by the number of spaces indicated by the throw of the dice. The playing pieces can move in any direction and there is no fixed route except that they can only move forward. Each player is at liberty to move his own playing piece along any route he prefers on his trip throughout the board.

5. When a playing piece lands on a space which is marked by a letter of the alphabet, the player should check whether that letter is usable in completing the spelling of any of the 5 chosen words on the matrix card. The rules are as follows: (i) The spelling of each word must be completed in the correct order. For example if the word is mango, then the spelling must be completed in the sequence of M - A - N G - 0.

(ii) There is no fixed order in which the words should be completed. Thus for example if the words are arranged in the following order, namely P-E-A-R; A-P-P-L-E; B-E-R-R-Y; M-A-N-G-O; B-A-N-A-N-A; then "P1', "A", "B" or "M" is usable in the first round.

(iii) If the player lands on a space which is marked by a usable letter, he can select an appropriate letter tile and put it in the first position. If for example the letter is "A", then he places the letter "A" in the first position against the word A-P-P-L-E.

(iv) After the letter "A" has been placed in the correct position, the usable letter in the next round becomes "P", "B" or "M" only. If the player lands on a letter "P", then he can place an appropriate tile either against the word P-E-A-R or A-P-P-L-E. If he places it against the word P-E-A-R, the usable letters in the next round will become "E", , "P", "B" or If a playing piece lands on a space marked by the word "Matrix", it means it is a free-match. The player can choose any letter he likes.

6. The first player who completes all words on his matrix card is the winner.

In an alternative embodiment, the matrix cards 11 bear no words but simply a grid 15 with each row of the grid numbered. If there are five rows, these are numbered 1 to 5, respectively. In this case, the game also comprises a plurality of word cards. These each bear a different word and may also bear a picture representative of the word.

At the beginning of the game, the players select a number (typically five) of these word cards and place them on the board 10. The object of the game is then for each player to try to complete all five words on his/her matrix card 11 in a manner similar to that described above.

Claims

1. Apparatus for playing a game, comprising a board marked with a playing path along which one or more playing pieces can be moved, the playing path being divided into a plurality of playing areas at least some of which each bear a letter of the alphabet, random number generating means for determining the distance which a player should move the or one of the playing pieces along the playing path, and means indicating at least one word which a player should attempt to complete by landing on playing areas bearing the appropriate letters.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tiles each bearing a letter of the alphabet.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the indicating means comprises a plurality of cards each bearing one or more words which a player should attempt to complete.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 when dependent on claim 2, wherein each of the cards also bears a grid on which the tiles can be placed to make up the word or words on the card.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the cards each bear only a single word and the apparatus further comprises a plurality of further cards each of which bears a grid on which the tiles can be placed to make up the words on selected first mentioned cards.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the playing path comprises a plurality of different routes which a player may take.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the playing areas bears an indication that a player may select any letter of the alphabet if landing on this or these playing areas.

8. Apparatus for playing a game, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. Apparatus for playing a game, comprising one or more playing pieces, and a board and cards marked substantially as shown in the drawings, the game being played in accordance with directions furnished in the specification.