US1633445A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIAM W. GAIL AND FRANK B. CONNELLY, on nrnrnveks, mam.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed March 6, 1925, Serial No. 18,453. Renewed'N-ovember 9, 1926.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in game apparatus.

The primary object of this mvention is to.

provide a game apparatus which may be,

used for embodying the solving ofcross word puzzles into a competitive game.

A further object 'of the invention is to provide a game of the above mentioned type which may be adapted for use by children or adults by the changing of the set of rules employed for governing the playing of the game. i

ther objects-and advantages of thein vention will be apparent during the course of the following description;

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed. to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the game board used in the playing of the game embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of two differentplayers used in combination with the game,

board shown in Fig. 1, thesaid players each being provided with a single letter of the alphabet, and

Figure 3 is a plan view of two additional players to'be used with the game board, these players each being provided with a group of letters of the alphabet. V

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 desig hates the game board in its entirety which includes the four patterns 6 formed by the different colored spaces 7 and 8. It will be noted that each pattern is formed of six rows of spaces extending atright angles to each other with the different colored spaces 7 and 8 arranged alternately in each row and so that the spaces of the same color extend diagonally across each pattern, which pattern is of substantially square formation.

The game board 5 is further provided with a centrally located square 9 provided with the word Letter-box. To the right of each pattern 6, in the clear space formed between the adjacent patterns are the squares 10 and 11 provided with the words Discard and Reserve.

In Fig. 2 there are shown two players 12 and 13 each of which is provided with a letter 14 and 15 respectively. In Fig. 3 there are shown two additional players 16 and 17, the player 16 being provided with the two letters 18 while the player 17 with-the two letters 19.

The game board 5 is to be arranged in respect. to the various competitors with one ofthe' four corners 20 of the board pointing directly toward each competitor. Viththe is provided direction arrows 21 and 22 with-the arrows 21. pointed toward the competitors and board arranged in this manner, it will be seen I that the spaces 8 are each provided-with the with the arrows 22 pointed to the right-of the competitors. It will be noted that'the longest row of spaces 8 in each pattern has the words Base letter printedin the space at the left hand end of this row and the words Key letter? printed in the third that the entire alphabet may be repeated as many times as desired with the letters singly appearing upon the players as in Fig. 2 or arranged in different groups asinv Fig. 3. At the start of the game, the players to be used are piled upon the space 9, referred to as the letter-box. The personsplayingthe game determine the order in which they are to play and the personhaving the first play takes one or more players, depending upon the rules being used, from the letterbox. He then arranges the player orplayers in the squares 8 of this pattern in the most advantageous manner to form words readable in the direction of the arrows 21 "and 22, it being understood that the squares 8 having both arrows 21 and 22 must be provided with players having letters capable of use for forming words readable in the direction of both of the arrows. If the player decides that the player or players he has drawn from the letter-box are not suitable for use at that time, he may place any one of the players upon the space 11 marked Reserve and may use'such player at a later point in the game. If he determines that he does not need any one or all of the players drawn at any time during the game, he may place those players upon the square 10 marked Discard. The person who first covers all of the spaces 8 with players arranged in a manner to form complete words readable in the direction of the arrows 21 and 22 Wins the game.

Too much emphasis can hardly be placed upon the phase in which this game is essentially new, namely, the phase of creating combinations of words crossing one another on the principle of the cross-Word puzzle, skill in the studying out of which is the main determining factor in winning, inasmuch as the supply of letters is such that competitors will average about the same in the luck of drawing desired letters in the same number of draws. To illustrate the Way the lettered players will appear upon a completed pattern, reference may be made to the following samples:

Horizontal words: real, hasten, toed.

Vertical words: rat, besot, hates, led.

A sample completed pattern, combination letters:

CR EO SW A L E GR A V I E S T E A L S N Horizontal words: swale, gravies, teal.

Vertical words: swat, craves, eolian, eel.

It is to be understood that the form of this'invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and. arrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. In a word spelling game adapted to be played with lettered game pieces, a square board having at each corner a checkered square, said squares being spaced to provide a field having the shape of an equal armed cross, said board having a main game piece receiving area indicated at the intersection of the arms of the cross and further having on each arm of the cross areas indicated as Reserve and Discard areas for the reception of reserved and discarded game pieces.

2. In a word spelling game adapted to be played with lettered game pieces, a square board having at each corner a checkered square, said squares being spaced to provide a field having the shape of an equal armed cross, said board having a main game piece receiving area indicated at the inter-' section of the arms of the cross and further having on each arm of the cross areas inclicated as Reserve and Discard areas for the reception of reserved and discarded game pieces, certain of the diagonal rows of the checkers in each square having arrows thereon to indicate the direction of reading of the letters of the pieces placed on said "square in forming a word. p I

3. In a word spelling game adapted to be played with lettered game pieces, a square board having at each corner a checkered square, said squares being spaced to provide a field having the shape of an equal armed cross, said board having a main game piece receiving area indicated at the intersection of the arms or the cross and further having on each arm of the cross areas indicated as Reserve and Discard areas for the reception of reserved and discarded game pieces, certain of the diagonal rows of the checkers in each square having arrows thereon to indicate the direction of reading of the letters of the pieces placed on said square in "forming a word, certain of the arrow pro vided checkers having two arrows thereon to indicate that the letter of a piece placed thereon is to be read in two directions in word formation.

In testimony whereof we affix our'signatures. l I

WVILLIAM WV. GAIL.

FRANK B. CONNELLY.

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