US2043506A - Puzzle - Google Patents

Description

une 9, 1936.

W. M. COSTIGAN PUZZLE Filed Aug. 2, 1934 Patented June 9, 1936 lziTENT OFFICE PUZZLE William Meagher Costigan, Grand Falls, New Brunswick, Canada Application August 2, 1934, Serial No. 738,145

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-132) This invention relates to puzzles and an object of the invention is to provide a puzzle combination which Will be interesting and can be made as difficult as desired by employing a plurality of fixed units and a series of movable units placeable having regard to the fixed units.

A further object of the invention is to provide a puzzle of this character which may take various forms. l0 A still further object of the invention is to prol vide a puzzle of this character which is Worked out on a board or the like on a square iigure subdivided into a plurality of spaces, the number of different species of unit employed corresponding 1X5 to the number of spaces along a side of the square.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily and economically manufactured and marketed in very attractive form.

With these and other obj ects in view the invention Will be apparent in` the following specication and drawing.

In thedrawing, Figure .1 is a plan view of the puzzle base divided intoV a plurality of spaces and bearing the units employed to Work out the puzzle,

the fixed 'units being shown in full lines and the movable units in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a .plan View `of the base similar to Figure l showing a different type of unit.

Figure 3i shows a different type of base in which the fixed units are shown in full lines and the movable units in dotted lines.

Figure 4. is a View similar to Figure 3, illustrata smaller base and a lesser number of pieces.

35 Figure 5 is an enlarged View of one type of unit that may be employed, such as illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail of another type of unit which may be employed.

Figure 7 is an illustration of one general manner in which the xed units may be held rmly upon the base.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, A indicates a suitable 45 base for the puzzle, preferably being in the form of a game board or the like which is marked oi into a plurality of series of zones intersecting one another. For instance, I0 indicates a series of horizontal zones, I I a series of vertical zones and 50 I2 indicates a diagonal zone extending from one corner of the board to the other. These zones are al1 formed by intersecting lines I3 or the like and the intersection of said zones produces a plurality of spaces I4.

The puzzle units are indicated generally by the numeral I5 and comprise a series of xed units I6 and a series of movable units Il. These units are employed in a series and each series is differentiated from the other by a value such as the colour, a numerical value or configuration.

other Words, each series differs from any other series by visible physical characteristics.

According to the invention the number of any one series of units corresponds to the number of spaces I4 along any one side of the board. For

instance, in Figure 1 seven spaces occur along any one side of the board and accordingly there are seven series of units, each series consisting of seven pieces which are all of one colour, in case colour is employed, or of the same shape, if shape "l the placement of the xed pieces I6 and the mov-` able pieces with the complete solution of a given puzzle based on colour value, and Figure 2 indicating the solution oi a puzzle with pieces or units defined by a numerical value.

In the case of Figure 2 it will be seen that there are six spaces along each side of the board and the number of pieces in one series is six, there being a series of six ls, six 2s, etc. up to six 6s.

According to the invention the units are placed so that each unit placed in a space on the board in a given zone must be different from any other unit placed in a space common to the same zone. In other Words, through the related intersecting series of zones, the units placed in the spaces thus formed are not repeated in any one zone. On referring to Figure 1, it will be seen in the case of the rst vertical zone on the left hand side, that a red unit occurs in the space I4 at the top of the zone. This happens to be a fixed unit I6. It is apparent, therefore, that a red unit cannot occur again in any of the spaces along this zone II. Similarly it will be apparent that a similar unit cannot occur in the spaces along the upper horizontal zone I0 and the same is true in connection with the diagonal zone I2.

It is apparent, therefore, having regard to the placement of the xed units IB, that a very diiiicult puzzle can be provided and in most cases a certain definite unit must be placed in each blank space to arrive at the correct solution.

This illustration is also clearly apparent in the case of Figure 2 where it will be seen that each space in each series of zones contains a unit of a given numerical value and such value is not repeated in any one zone no matter whether it is a horizontal band I0, a vertical zone I4 or the diagonal band I2.

In a modiiied form of puzzle the base A is circular or has a circular design thereupon which is divided into a series of circular zones I8 intersected by a series of semi-circular zones I9 to form a plurality of spaces 2U. In this case it ywill be clear that exactly the same principle is fol?Y lowed. Fixed units 2l occur in certain designated spaces 2l] and movable units 22 are to be placed in spaces on the zones not occupied by xed units. In each instance, upon examing the disclosure in Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that each unit in any given zone is different from any other unit contained in the spaces on a common zone. This applies both to the circular bands I8 and the semi-circular zones I9.

In Figure 3 ten spaces 20 occur in each zone, both in the circular Zone I'I and semi-circular zone I8 and the number of units in each series is ten. In the case of Figure 4 eight spaces occur in any given zone and the number of units in each series employed is eight.

The values or physical characteristics of the units employed inthe various forms this puzzle may take may be, as previously indicated, defined by colour, numerical value, coniiguration or other suitable defining means. In Figure 6 I have i1- lustrated a unit which may be dened by a Word and by employing a series of units, each series being defined by a given word, and by relating the words a very interesting form of puzzle can be provided. For instance, a puzzle designed as a depression puzzle may be provided, the pieces being arranged as described above and each series representing a factor which must be grouped to avoid an economic depression. This will serve along with the other illustrations to illustrate the wide application of the manner in which the units or pieces may be designated. Y

The iixed units or pieces may be fixed in any suitable manner, it being the intention to provide a structure whereby pieces may be iixed on the board in any desired space so that the puzzle may' be varied. In Figure '7 a simple manner of fixing the piece is illustrated wherein a spike-like member 23 protrudes upwardly through the board A and into one of the pieces or units employed, the board being recessed as at 24 to receive the head of the spike-like member. This, however, is merely an illustration and any suitable means for xing the units on the board may be employed.

Various modications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claims, and therefore the exact forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, and it is desired that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are dsclosed in the prior art or are set forth in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. A puzzle comprising a base marked 01T to provide a plurality of series of intersecting zones defined by spaced apart lines, the intersection of said zones dening a plurality of spaces certain of said spaces bearing fixed visible units having deflnite surface characteristics, the remaining spaces being blank for receiving movable units whose surface characteristics diier from any unit xed or movable contained in a zone common to said remaining spaces, said movable units being placeable at will in any given blank space, the correct position of said units beng governed by the fixed units, said fixed units being preliminarily positioned to force one or more solutions.

2. A puzzle comprising a base carrying a square marked off to provide a plurality of series of intersecting zones defined by spaced apart lines, the intersection of said zones dening a plurality of spaces, there being a corresponding number of spaces along each side of the square, certain of said spaces bearing iixed visible units having definite surface characteristics, the remaining spaces being blank for receiving movable units Whose surface characteristics diier in value from any unit fixed or movable in a zone common to said remaining spaces, said xed units being selectively positioned in spaces at different points on the base to force one or more solutions.

WILLIAM MEAGHER COSTIGAN.

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