US20090066022A1

US20090066022A1 - Omnidirectional word construction game connecting markings within a spatial array

Info

Publication number: US20090066022A1
Application number: US11/900,098
Authority: US
Inventors: Gregory John Yu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-10
Filing date: 2007-09-10
Publication date: 2009-03-12

Abstract

A method of playing a word construction game wherein one character, letter or stroke is added at a time to a defined space appearing on a paper surface, computer interface, mobile communication device screen, personal digital assistant or a non-paper erasable surface displaying discrete blank spaces. Each player aims to add at least one character, letter or stroke in turn anywhere within the array of previously played content and available blank spaces that continues the formation of a valid word without completing it. The completion of a valid word subjects the active player to challenge and a penalty in scoring. Absent losing a challenge, players receive points for each character, letter or stroke added without successful challenge during a round of play. Valid words must read without skipping any characters, letters or strokes or any blank spaces, be a predetermined minimum length, and meet other conditions as prescribed by preset rules. The game proceeds until after multiple rounds of play, a player has reached a target number of points or has amassed the highest point total.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

37 C.F.R. 1.71 AUTHORIZATION

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of playing a word construction game wherein players take turns adding single characters, letters or strokes inside a single spatial array so as to challenge the vocabulary and word skills of other players.
2. Description of Prior Art
Spelling, vocabulary, grammar and stroke composition are fundamental skill sets for any industrialized society and its members. For the language of English, well over 400,000 words exist, yet the average vocabulary of an individual often does not exceed 20,000. Language skills are taught, learned, and improved by mechanical, often tedious, methods, including rote memorization. With the onslaught and ubiquity of social networking sites, electronic mail, and instant messaging, correct spelling and grammar are ignored and sacrificed for the sake of speed. Younger generations evince little concern for correct use or spelling of the written language. Interactive video games siphon immense amounts of time, money and energy with only nominal educational benefit or value.
Games in the prior art test and enhance a player's vocabulary and spelling skills. These games employ word chains, word searches, word extending, word unscrambling, word transforming, and word extracting. Some games construct multidirectional word bridges across a board with the placement of one or more letters in a direction to form a new word sharing a letter of a previously placed word. The most famous game, selling at two million sets annually, is Scrabble®. Both a strategy and a challenge for players, the number of letter tiles is reduced and eventually exhausted by successive rounds of play during a game. Another game, Upwords®, also uses a limited supply of letter tiles to add to or overlay existing letters of a previously played word. With either game, the active player is free of interference when attempting to form one or more new words.
Other games in the prior art include the addition of letters to either end of a word with the object of creating an entirely new word known as embedding, and one in which known words are extracted from provided words. Prior art suffers from a number of disadvantages: (a) their methods of play are limited to using available letters within a predefined supply of letters; (b) they require a method of rotation and space on a physical or virtual display space for placing letters to form words, which hinders the ease and portability of the game when utilizing mobile handheld electronic devices; and (c) they require a significant amount of time for one game or even a single round of play. In addition, a myriad variety of racks, tiles, tokens, pieces and rules complicates the tactics and hinders speed of play. Subsequent games require careful storage of all physical items which are susceptible to loss or misplacement. Increasing the supply of letters and pieces requiring greater space and care further encumbers the appeal, utility and ease of play.
One game called Word Train® involves solo play against a computer inside a handheld device whereby alternating turns are taken to add a single letter to the immediate right side of a contiguous train of letters. The winner, whether a human player or a computer, is the first one to add a letter to the end to form a valid word according to the computer's database. The prior art here declares the winner as the first player to finish a word. This naturally encourages the shortest possible word to be created and denies the play of longer words, such as plurals, conjugations, and compound words. Further, no provision is made to award points for the letters played or the length of the word itself. The game is simply scored like tic-tac-toe.
A distinct disadvantage of most prior art is the extended length of playing a single game or round with the concomitant loss of attention to contemplated or current activity on the board or screen. Today the speed and interactivity of electronic games and Web-based games make traditional board games tedious and pedantic. Board games that openly tout spelling and vocabulary skill enhancement often lack appeal or amusement.
The tradition of spelling bees freezes all attention upon one player who must deliver the correct sequential announcement of letters of a given word. If a word in a spelling bee competition has only one correct spelling leaving nothing for strategic options, an audience of observers is spared of much needed intrigue and suspense. The sole goal of a competitor is to avoid elimination by awaiting a misspelling an assigned word by an opponent.
Ultimately, the object of games associated with prior art in this field is to reward players when identifying, forming, spelling or completing one or more valid words by openly announcing or presenting one or more valid word plays. Meanwhile, absent lodging a challenge against the previous active player, the currently active player moves to search entirely different word plays given an abundance of other places on the game surface or screen to score points elsewhere. Players here compete for available space with different letters rather than compete over a pre-existing shared chain of letters.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,231 to Cammarata (1982) teaches a game for forming words but requires chance selection of certain letters to create a valid word. U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,423 to Augusta (1984) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,798 to Lawal (2002) both involve the use of random selection to allot new letters to form words. Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,538 to Lewis (1988) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,538 to Hahn (1990) teach a word creation game that offers players only a limited supply of alphabet letters. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,271 to Bex (1992) teaches active players to add letters to create valid words out of an available physical supply of letters. U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,513 to Ferrante (2006) limits the active player to vowels and consonants based on where her game piece lands on a physical board. A children-oriented spelling game claimed in U.S. Pat. App. No. 20040084840 (Pub. May 6, 2004) limits the play to available physical blocks showing letters on their face. When challenged to use only available letters, players expend excess energy to seek desirable or valuable letters rather than experimenting and exploring word spelling opportunities created by other players.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,065 to Motskin (1994) requires players to work on multiple words simultaneously on a two-dimensional grid, but do not compete on the very same word simultaneously. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,604 to Vandelli (2000) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,854 to Jaspers (2003) award players for independently creating complete words by adding multiple letters using at least one letter of the previously played word.
Other art stress the quantity, quality or timing of words created during a round of play. U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,103 to Ross (1992) requires players to extract the maximum number of words from a word supply. U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,556 to Culley, et al. (2005) requires forming a word within a given topic. U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,629 to McCabe (2006) makes the player who creates the last word the ultimate winner.
U.S. Pat App. No. 20070194531 filed by Fujka, et al. (pub. Aug. 23, 2007) claims a poker game using cards with letters and rewards players for creating words with their own hand. The primary object is to secure a winning poker-type hand, and the creation of words with the same hand which is not shared or exchanged with other players.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,688 to Boateng (2003) requires players to conceive of and form words based on a particular position of a letter that is randomly selected and placed. A particular sequence of presented letters may foreclose any possible word plays, which could require players to pass on their turn.
In all, prior art teaches word games that add elements of chance, utilizes tokens and pieces, and limits supplies of letters, all with the real effect of eliciting player strategies have nothing to do with actual word, spelling or vocabulary skills.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a word forming game played among two or more players, which may include either persons or a programmed computer. Each player adds at least one character, letter or stroke of her or its choice within an open array of blank spaces and previously played characters, letters or strokes spanning in any direction. The play and placement of characters to enhance the array may be upon a paper or erasable surface containing preprinted space grids or onto an electronic display screen on a PC, a laptop computer, or a handheld electronic device.
The unique object of the game is to successfully add a character, letter or stroke of any choice of the player to the preexisting array of placed markings and blank spaces. The player aims to have the array accommodate but not complete a single valid word of at least two discrete markings appearing in an officially recognized dictionary for a given language. Therein lies the novelty of the game. Points are gained by continuing but not completing the construction of a valid word, but points are lost by completing a valid word. An active player utilizes her knowledge of vocabulary, stroke composition and spelling for strategic advantage without revealing it to others during play. A further novelty is that with the present invention no player is bound by a choice of characters, letters, or strokes, that is, the supply of choices is inexhaustible.
For each round, the first letter is selected by (1) granting the first active player the choice of any character, letter or stroke, (2) using a character, letter or stroke revealed on a card chosen from a stack of cards containing all possible characters, letters or strokes of the given language, or (3) using a random generator device to select a character, letter or stroke. Other players in turn add a single character, letter or stroke of their choice such that the enhanced array does not form a valid word. As a general rule, players receive one or more points for every character placed in turn within the array. Arrays are read without omitting or skipping any markings or blank spaces already within the array.
After a character, letter or stroke is added to the array by the active player, other players may lodge a challenge. If the most recent character, letter or stroke played forms a valid word or creates a new array that fails to accommodate at least one valid word, the active player loses the challenge. The challenge is resolved by consulting a dictionary of valid words. The round is completed when the active player is successfully challenged for having formed a valid word or adds a character to the array that fails to be part of a valid word. Predetermined points are awarded to (1) the active player that withstands a challenge, (2) the player who first lodges a successful challenge against the last active player, and (3) each non-active player that added letters to the array for such round. The game proceeds with multiple rounds until one player has reached a target number of points or achieves the highest point total after a designated number of rounds.

DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood by consideration of the detailed description that follows. The description will make references to these figures and their elements:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game playing area.

FIG. 2 is a plain view of a playing sheet and scoring sheet, showing its elements and an example of scores for players after a single round of play.

FIG. 3 is a view of the game system for interactive home computer play and for interactive on-line play using wirelessly connected handheld devices.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: 100 Game sheet showing playing and scoring grids on 100 a front side and game instructions on 100 b reverse side; 110 Character drawing cards (a partial set shown) together containing at least one of every letter of the alphabet of the written language used for a game; 120 timer for limiting the time to complete a single turn or to lodge a challenge; 130 handheld electronic dictionary containing valid words of a language; 160 Colored pens or pencils used by players to uniquely identify the inserted characters of each player.
FIG. 2: 200 Playing grid; 202 column showing numbered rounds in a game; 204 column starting character space for each round; 206 additional row for a round needed to break a tie; 208 additional row for a round that was previously and erroneously marked; 250 scoring grid; 252 columns showing the scoring frame for each player's round; 254 a for the number of letters played in a round and 254 b box for showing points awarded to for each letter played in a round; 254 frame total for all points awarded to players in the aggregate for a round; 256 sample scores given to four players; and 258 column for accumulated game totals.
FIG. 3: 300 home PC system to play an interactive version of the game; 320 database of valid words accessible or stored on the PC for resolving challenges during the game; 310 PC for use by player; 330 data input to submit played letters; and 340 visual display for 250 scoring grid and for results of challenges and scoring totals. 350 server to host the interactive wireless version over the Internet; 320 online dictionary residing on or accessible by the server; 362 mobile phone, 364 mobile phone, 366 mobile phone, and 368 mobile phone used by four players respectively and simultaneously for playing and viewing the array of characters, letters and strokes played during a round.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Key objects and advantages to the present invention are: (a) to provide a style of play with the unique purpose of learning and expanding spelling and vocabulary skills of a particular language that uses a plurality of characters, letters and strokes; (b) to provide a method of play which allows for rotating play without using a board, comprehending complex board design or spending excessive costs; and (c) to provide a method of play that precludes the need for tile holders, die or dice, or playing cards that could be lost or damaged.
Another advantage of the present invention is the ability and strategy of building words, letter by letter or stroke by stroke in any direction. This rewards those players who have mastered vocabulary, etymology, plural forms, conjugations, parts of speech, compound words stemming from an existing array in play. For example, a base verb can lead to over 20 differently spelled versions when conjugations are made. With certain root components or certain valid words, a prefix is added to the front to create valid words, which thereby changes the spelling and meaning of the previous valid word. When valid words are built from a root, the spelling of the entire word can change. Prior art focuses primarily on building words in a left-to-right sequence.
A further object is to test the skill of players to consider spelling with pronounced and silent characters, letters or strokes of words in multiple and reverse directions. One advanced variation of the invention challenges the ability to identify valid words and their proper spelling where there are gaps of one or more spaces among previously played characters, letters or strokes. Learning proper grammar and spelling often requires the insertion of characters and words to the left or front of existing content. For example, with sentence structure, a subject needs to be inserted in front of a predicate.
The present invention affords unique strategic competitive play which is not based on pure speed or raw quantity of knowledge. Unlike other word games that rely upon an element of chance with the use of dice or the retrieval and placement of randomly drawn letter tiles, here fewer or no points are awarded for completing a word. This invention requires players to anticipate and outplay the opponent by knowing correct spellings and dynamically changing the possible plays within the array. To avoid finishing the array with a valid word, players must calculate the number of remaining characters, letters or strokes left to complete one or more valid words. Simultaneously, they must shift gears and expectations when unanticipated letters are played in the array. Players challenge each other on their mutual or shared expanse of vocabulary and spelling skills on the very same character chain and space and overall sequence. Without an electronic or physical limit of tiles, all players have equal access to play any, character, letter or stroke during their turn. After each round of adding letters in serial fashion, players are encouraged but not required to share the scope of their, vocabulary and spelling skill based on the arrays appearing during a single round of play.
Still another object is to offer a novel means to compete in a game for forming characters in a language other than a Roman language that utilizes strokes, dashes, dots and other markings. For example, in Chinese, Hebrew and Arabic, stroke content and order are vital to proper syntax in writing.
Another object is to avoid the arbitrary or random assignment of words and letters of certain word games and competitions, as in the case of spelling bees. Instead of ignoring the challenge of another competitor's word, the present invention requires every player to wrestle over the spelling and variant permutations within a family of valid words emerging with each enhanced array of characters, letters, stokes, and available spaces. There is a clear scoring advantage to being the first to lodge a successful challenge against an active player.
Aside from the entertainment value of competing play, the present invention fosters an effective tool to build spelling and vocabulary skills on an interactive, mutually competitive basis, rather than rote process of memorization and generating raw word volume. One embodiment plants an opening predetermined array chain of two or more characters, letters or strokes prior to play in order to teach etymology. Similarly, one can be challenged for identifying and using prefixes and suffixes that are shared among a multitude of valid words of a language.
Educational versions of the invention allows solo or dual players to test and build vocabulary with preset root words, radicals, or truncations as starting arrays before the first letter is played. This affords a methodical, even alphabetical, means to build vocabulary skills.
The present invention and its obvious advantages will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read with the accompanying drawings.

OPERATION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In this game players enhance arrays that continue but do not complete the construction of a valid word of a chosen language. The preferred use of the invention applies a rule that limits additional characters to be played only to the immediate right side or left side of the array with no blank spaces between characters previously played and new characters. A different embodiment to permit new letters to be separated by multiple letter spaces will test players with advanced skills in strategy and vocabulary.
For the physical version, FIG. 1 shows character drawing cards 110 placed face down in a location accessible to all players. Players determine a suitable order of play for each round. The player to the left or right of the starter draws a card 110 and writes the letter appearing on the card into starting space 204 in FIG. 2. Subsequent active players in the round affix a new letter to either side of the active 208 array row within playing grid 200. Each player in succession takes turns entering a letter using their own uniquely colored pen or marker 160.
During each round, points are awarded for each and every letter played onto an array unless an active player is successfully challenged after her turn. The color of letters within an array assists players in determining which and how many letters were played by whom. Each player has a set period of time for turns as measured by timer 120. A player receives two points for each letter added to the array without challenge. Upon a challenge whereby the active player has either completed a valid word or enhanced the character array that does not fit inside any valid word, the challenger receives two points for the entirety of letters played within the character array for that round. If the active player survives a challenge, all players receive two points for each character individually played, except for the losing challenger who receives no points for any letters she individually played in the array. Challenges may be resolved by consulting electronic dictionary 130.
Valid words are at least two or more characters, letters or strokes, with the exception of foreign words, proper nouns, abbreviations, or words spelled with apostrophes or hyphens.
Play proceeds among multiple players in a circular fashion, with each active player adding a character, letter or stroke of her choice to the beginning or end of the array of characters. If the array extends beyond the boundaries of the eight-space array on either side of playing sheet 200, players may manually extend the side with more spaces to continue play in that round.
To illustrate the manner of play and scoring, the following example is given, showing the first round of a four-player game in FIG. 2.
As in the start of every round, a starting letter is placed in the array of spaces on playing sheet 200, by drawing a card from character cards 160 containing the entire alphabet of the chosen language, by randomly choosing of the first player of a letter of choice to begin a round, or by using a random generator device. In the first round shown in the first row on playing sheet 200 in FIG. 2, the letter ‘B’ is randomly chosen and written in starting space 204. The first active player, Alan, adds to the right side the letter ‘U’. The second player Brian adds to the right side of the letter string the letter ‘L’. The third player, Cleo, adds to the left side of the string the letter ‘M’. The fourth player, Dina, adds to the right side the letter ‘A’. No challenges are lodged yet against any of the players. Returning to the first player Alan, he adds to the left side the letter ‘A’. He surmises that the either “AMBULANCE” or AMBULATE will be formed with this letter string, thus avoiding the loss of points by forming a valid word during his next turn. The second player, Brian, adds to the right side the letter “T”. The third player, Cleo, in her mind does not know that AMBULANCE is a valid world but knows that “AMBULATE” and “AMBULATORY” are both valid words. Naturally, she chooses to add to the end of the string the letter ‘O’ rather than ‘E’ that would create a valid word and end the round at her loss. The fourth player Dina knows what word will manifest, and adds the letter ‘R’. Back to Alan as the first player, who thought he was safely through this round without losing, thinks that he must add ‘Y’, the only letter left he believes that could form a valid word. Instead, he plays the letter ‘S’ at the right end while hoping that the array will continue toward a valid word or that he will not be successfully challenged. The third player Cleo confidently lodges a challenge of the array's invalidity. When resolving the challenge and consulting the database dictionary, the players discover that “AMBULATORS” is a valid word. To the surprise of all players (including Dina, the fourth player who placed the letter ‘R’ at the end of the letter string), the string “AMBULATOR” is a valid word, but none of the other three players lodged a challenge to claim that it actually formed a valid word.
The scoring with the play of the first player Alan who formed “AMBULATORS” is as follows: The third player Cleo receives zero points because she lost the challenge. The first player Alan (letters ‘U’ and ‘A’), the second player Brian (letters ‘L’ and ‘T’), and fourth player Dina (letters ‘A’ and ‘R’) each receive four points for having placed two letters (worth two points each) onto the letter array without being challenged by other players.
Any array enhanced by an active player may be challenged. The challenger succeeds if she can prove that no valid word can emerge from the present array. The active player withstands a challenge by identifying in the dictionary that the array of characters and spaces is actually an incomplete portion of a valid word. If the challenge is sustained against the active player, she receives no points for such round and the winner receives points for all letters played by all players in that round. If the challenge fails, the challenger receives no points for such round and remaining players receive the standard two points for each letter they played in that round. If the players mutually agree they may abandon the challenge system to play a more friendly game. In this style of play, the active player may even ask other players for assistance in strategizing and constructing valid words.
A reasonable amount of time should be given to each player per turn, as decided before the game begins. The time limit should allow adequate time to come up with a letter to play, yet keep the game moving at a good pace. For official tournament play, the time limit can be set at two minutes per turn. The time starts after the previous active player has affixed a character, letter or stroke inside the array. The failure to play within the allotted time means that the player is eliminated from that round and receives no points for any letters played. A reasonable amount of time is given to declare a challenge of a newly formed array. If the players wish, they may play with no time limit or use a time limit as a guide only, without the possibility of losing points or a turn if time runs out.
One player keeps score on scoring sheet 250 provided. After adding a letter to the character chain with his own colored writing instrument 160, the active player is subject to challenge for a period of time after which it becomes a valid play. If the game is played interactively, another player may input into her device 368 a challenge, and server 350 automatically resolves the challenge and transmits the result interactively to all four players via mobile devices 362, 364, 366, and 368.
Ending the game happens when one player has reached the highest point total after multiple rounds of play tallied and shown in column 258. Team play of a number of players tracks individual play and point totals are merely combined. In one variation of team play, members assist each other in conferring on possible arrays and completed valid words. Individual points are aggregated after each round to achieve a target team point total as shown in column 258 of scoring sheet 250.
Primarily educational versions of play for the present invention abound. A junior version can restrict valid words to a predetermined maximum number of characters, letters and strokes. Consulting to a subset of a dictionary containing only words of a maximum length and number of characters, letters and strokes will facilitate the child's learning with moderately increased lengths of words. For students preparing for college or graduate placement examinations or students learning a foreign language, a pre-ordered set of letter arrays constituting prefixes, suffixes, or root words can methodically and systematically build vocabulary and spelling prowess. The invention can be practiced with any written language at employs a multiple of characters, letters or strokes to form a word. An etymological dictionary as a resource will aid in the present invention's educational value. In addition, students of a language may conduct rounds of play such that only one of more of the multiple parts of speech for a given language may constitute valid words for purposes of scoring and lodging challenges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a game sheet 100 as the playing surface. Also shown is a complete set of character cards 150. Each character card 150 is offset printed on one side on index or cover stock with the dimensions of 8.9 cm (3.5 inches) by 6 cm (2.375 inches) or of similar size. All character cards will all be blank on the face down side or will all contain a printed logo. Singly on the face up side they will contain one letter of the alphabet of the chosen language and together will contain the entire alphabet. Character cards 150 are drawn by each active player to begin the initial letter for each round. A uniquely colored writing instrument 160 are used by each player to show which letters are played by such player.
Game sheet 100 will be printed on either one or both sides with black ink on twenty 20# white bond and measure approximately 21.6 cm (8.5 inches) wide by 27.9 cm (11.0 inches) high. The front side of game sheet 100 a presents a 12-round playing sheet and a 12-round scoring sheet. The reverse side of game sheet 100 b lists the official rules for play and recommended dictionary sources for the language of play including a Uniform Resource Locator link to access an online dictionary containing valid words. Players use a dictionary database source as agreed upon in advance of play to identify valid words for resolving challenges among players. Game sheet 100 is bound at the top in quantities of 25, with a total of four pads provided. Game elements not described or numbered because of familiarity include an alternative playing surface of a dry erase board with preprinted content and grids, a timing device to limit the time available for each player, dry erase markers, wipe cloth, and a writing instrument for scorekeeping.
FIG. 2 is paper sheet 100 showing playing grid 200 and scoring grid 250. Playing grid 200 is divided by 18 columns, the first column of which represents a numbered round of play during a single game shown in column 202. Column 204 shows where the starting position for the first letter of play after character card 150 is drawn by the starting player to begin an array in column 204. Eight blank spaces on each side of the starting space allow the letter array to grow with subsequent turns. Playing grid 200 shows one row of arrayed spaces for each round of play. Row 206 is used for an additional round to break a point total tie among two or more players after the standard number of rounds. Row 208 is used in the event there is a human error in affixing a character or stroke in a space during a round of play on one of the above rows.
Scoring grid 250 presents rows of accumulated point totals for four players. Each of the 12 columns 252 represents the scoring frame for each round of play among the competing players named in column 254. Scoring box 252 a and scoring box 252 b are set inside the upper half of each scoring frame. Box 252 a is the number of letters placed within an array without successful challenge for a particular round. Box 252 b is the number of points awarded for each character played by a player according a predetermined set of rules. Row 256 records the total number of points awarded for Dina in the first round, which equals the product of the numbers appearing in Box 252 a and Box 252 b. Column 258 shows the accumulated point totals after 12 rounds of regulation play among players.
An interactive version of the game is played on home PC 310 in FIG. 3. Playing grids for rounds of play appear on screen 340. Characters and challenges are inputted in keyboard 330. When challenges are tested among players, the PC can refer to database 320 having valid words previously shored. FIG. 3 also shows an interactive version over the Internet. Players have cell phones 362, 364, 366, and 368 connected to the Internet who in turn can access a game website hosted by server 350. An online dictionary is reachable through the Internet to resolve challenges.

Claims

1. A method of playing a word forming game wherein the improvement comprises of taking turns to place a single character, letter or stroke spaced on top of, tangential to, near to or away from previously placed markings so that the resulting array continues but does not complete the construction of a valid word of a written language.

2. The method according to claim 1 whereby the taking of turns allows for a plurality of characters, letters and strokes to be played by a player during a single round.

3. The method according to claim 1 whereby the choice and supply of available characters, letters and strokes to be played during the game is limited by at least one predetermined parameter.

4. The method according to claim 1 whereby scoring is maintained for the game comprising the steps of

a) awarding a predetermined number of points for each unchallenged character, letter or stroke added to the array of content and spaces,

b) awarding a predetermined number of points when successfully challenging the adding of a character, letter or stroke to the array that then either forms a valid word or fails to be imbedded within a valid word, and

c) denying a predetermined number of points when losing in a challenge of an added character, letter or stroke to the array.

5. The method according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

placing at least one initial character, letter, or stroke into a starting position on a visual playing space;

adding by an active player of at least one character, letter or stroke among the array that includes all previously placed characters, letters and strokes and all remaining blank spaces;

allowing a non-active player to singularly make a challenge that the previous character, letter or stroke added to an enhanced array containing only catenated characters, letters and strokes and no intervening blank spaces forms a valid word;

allowing a non-active player to singularly make a challenge that the array, taking into account therein all characters, letters and strokes as played and all blank spaces therein as wild card characters, letters or strokes, cannot constitute a single valid word;

ruling upon whether said challenge succeeds or fails; and

awarding or denying a predetermined number of points for characters, letters and strokes within the array, subject to the success or failure of challenges between two players that end a round of play.

6. An apparatus to play a word forming game wherein the improvement comprises of taking turns to place a single character, letter or stroke spaced on top of, tangential to, near to or away from previously placed characters, letters and strokes so that the resulting array continues but does not complete the construction of a valid word of a written language, said apparatus comprising:

a visual writable playing space of a plurality of surfaces including a paper sheet and a dry-erase board;

said surfaces are preprinted with playing grids of adjacent empty character spaces and with scoring grids;

a set of game instructions;

a plurality of writing instruments of multiple colors for adding letters onto said playing space by a plurality of players;

a plurality of cards together containing at least a full set of all characters, letters and strokes of a written language; and

a timing device to allot a predetermined amount of time for an active player to place a character, letter or stroke during a playing round and for a non-active player to lodge a challenge against the active player.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 which further comprises a database or dictionary of valid words within the language for resolving challenges.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising playing the game as an interactive home computer game.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising playing the game as an interactive on-line game via the Internet.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising playing the game over a wirelessly connected network of handheld communications devices.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of instructions in a computer program to execute the steps of:

providing a visual electronic display of the array as formed and enhanced by a plurality of players;

providing an input means to add at least one character, letter or stroke to enhance said array;

displaying said array as newly enhanced on a visual display viewable or accessible by a plurality of players;

providing access to a database containing a dictionary of valid words of a written language that uses alphanumeric characters;

providing an input means for a non-active player to challenge the character placed by an active player by consulting said database to determine if the newly enhanced array forms a valid word or is subsumed within at least one valid word of a written language;

signaling on the visual display whether the newly enhanced array either matches a valid word within said database or fails to align in sequence within one valid word.

scoring for each round of play on a manual or automated basis using a predetermined point system according to characters successfully played without challenge, challenges sustained, and challenges lost by each player according to a predetermined set of rules; and

signaling on the visual display the points awarded to players for each round and the overall winner of the game after a predetermined number of rounds is completed or a predetermined point total is achieved by a single player or a team of players.

12. A method according to claim 10 comprising a plurality of instructions in a computer program to execute the steps of:

monitoring the inputs by both provisionally and permanently awarding points during at least one round of play among players;

processing and officiating a challenge lodged against an active player against a database of valid words;

assigning points to players at the completion of each round;

monitoring point totals for each player during a game session until a winning player or a team of players achieves a predesignated or highest total after a plurality of rounds; and

maintaining standings, statistics, ratings, and point totals among individual players and teams of players over a multitude of game sessions.

13. A system to allow a plurality of players consisting of humans and computers engaged in a game according to the method of claim 1 to play together over a plurality of wirelessly and wire connected and networked devices, comprising:

a plurality of said devices adapted to transmit newly played letters within said array among active and non-active players and to dynamically display the identical enhanced array among said devices;

a database of valid words with which to determine if an array forms a valid word or resides within at least one valid word of the language;

a memory operatively connected to or accessible by said devices;

a microprocessor operatively connected to said memory;

said microprocessor adapted for causing data stored in said memory or received by said devices to be transmitted by said device to a host computer or website and to other remotely located devices; and

a display panel operatively connected to said microprocessor, said display panel adapted for reproducing all arrays currently and previously formed by said players.

14. The system according to claim 12, comprising the further step of providing an audio means for pronouncing aloud through voice automation a valid word formed by an array and a plurality of valid words that contain an array arising during a round of play.

15. The system according to claim 12, comprising the further step of providing a visual means for displaying a valid word formed by an array and a plurality of valid words that contain an array arising during a round of play.

16. The system according claim 14, comprising the further step of announcing aloud through voice automation the definitions of said plurality of valid words.

17. The system according to claim 15, comprising the further step of displaying the definitions of said plurality of valid words.