WO1996017663A1

WO1996017663A1 - Random word game

Info

Publication number: WO1996017663A1
Application number: PCT/AU1995/000825
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gavin Holguin Mcconnell
Original assignee: Gavin Holguin Mcconnell
Priority date: 1994-12-05
Filing date: 1995-12-05
Publication date: 1996-06-13
Also published as: AU660912B3

Abstract

A recreational random word game comprising at least two dice one of which has a colour which contrasts with the remaining dice, wherein each dice has at least one surface having at least one word thereon wherein the dice are thrown either together or one after another after which the dice come to rest such that a surface on each dice presents at least one word to a player which the player then combines with another word or words on another surface of one or more of the other dice to form a phrase or sentence.

Description

RANDOM WORD GAME

The present invention relates to recreational games and more particularly, relates to a recreational word game comprising at least two discrete playing elements. There are in existence a large variety of recreational games which utilise discrete playing elements which interact to achieve a particular result relative to the object of the game. One such game is known as SCRABBLE and involves the players choosing letters contained on the elements to form words using letters from elements previously chosen. The selection of letters and hence word formation is an orderly process involving not inconsiderable word skills.

Other known games using playing elements also involve the use of dice usually as a secondary aspect of the game to facilitate operation of the primary object of a game. Dice having numbers or dots for indicating numbers are randomly thrown. The dice have the numbers or number indicia on each surface wherein after throwing, the number which presents on the upper surface of one dice is added to the number on the upper surface of a like dice, to provide a total number to facilitate progress towards the primary game object.

The present invention provides an alternative game which combines random interaction of game elements with word skills. More particularly, the present invention comprises a random word game wherein words or letters which are contained on nominated surfaces of playing elements which are randomly thrown, are used by the game player in an attempt to form a grammatical phrase or sentence. Alternatively, letters contained on the surface/s of a playing element can be used to form words.

In one broad from the present invention comprises; a recreational random word game comprising at least two dice wherein each dice has at least one surface having at least one word thereon wherein the dice are thrown either together or one after another after which the dice come to rest such that a surface on each dice presents at least one word to the player which the player then combines with another word or words on another surface of one or more of the other dice to form a phrase or sentence.

In another broad form the present invention comprises: a dice for use in a recreational random word game comprising 6 faces, at least one of which has at least one word thereon wherein the dice is coloured to contrast with the colour of at least one other dice used in the random word game.

In its broadest form the present invention comprises: a recreational random word game comprising at least two dice one of which has a colour which contrasts with the remaining dice, wherein each dice has at least one surface having at least one word thereon wherein the dice are thrown either together or one after another after which the dice come to rest such that a surface on each dice presents at least one word to the player which a player then combines with another word or words on another surface of one or more of the other dice to form a phrase or sentence.

According to one embodiment, the dice have six sides or surfaces each of which include at least one word so that together the dice may form a phrase or sentence with the player's score calculated by the addition of numbers on the nominated surface on each dice.

Alternatively, the dice may have less than six playing surfaces or may be polygonal although the shape of the dice ideally should render the dice conducive to rolling on throwing the dice.

The present invention will now be described in more detail according to a preferred but non limiting embodiment and with reference to the accompanying illustrations wherein:

Figure 1 : depicts a single dice according to a preferred embodiment; Figure 2: shows a plurality of randomly assembled playing dice after throwing. PC--7AU95/00825

Referring to figure 1 there is shown a dice 1 for use in a random word game according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Dice 1 is preferably cubic comprising 6 faces and from figure 1, faces 2, 3 and 4 can be seen with the remainder of the faces obscured. Faces 2, 3 and 4 each have a number and at least one word. In use, the dice are randomly thrown, following which the player combines the word or words on one nominated face with the letter, word or words on a nominated face of other like playing dice.

Preferably, the game is played with five dice of one colour and one dice of another contrasting colour.

Referring to figure 2 there is shown five dice 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 with an additional but contrasting dice 10. The dice are shown randomly displaying words as they may fall after throwing. Dice 9 is shown with surface 15 blank, to illustrate according to an alternative embodiment that some dice may have one or more surfaces blank to increase the degree of difficulty of the game.

One face of each dice is nominated according to the game rules and this is usually the upper face of each dice when the dice have come to rest after throwing. Thus, in the case of dice 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of figure 2, the word, phrase or sentence is constructed with reference to the same surface on each dice and usually the upper surface. Thus, surfaces 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 may be used to construct the phrase or sentence. Numbers from the surfaces containing the letter, word or words which form the phrase or sentence are added up to represent the player's score.

To play the game, the five dice 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of a similar colour are randomly thrown. If the player finds it impossible to form a phrase or sentence from the words appearing on the nominated surfaces the player can elect to throw dice 10 of a contrasting colour in a further attempt to form a complete sentence or phrase.

Throughout the specification the reference to nominated surface is that surface of each dice which according to the rules of the game is nominated as the surface from which the 663 PC--7AU95/00825

word/s are to be chosen to assist in the formation of a phrase or sentence to satisfy the game objects

Each dice may be cubic or alternatively may be another polygonal shape provided the dice has surfaces on which a word or words can be carried and a suitable roll capacity upon throwing to ensure the randomness of the result

According to the game rules, the player has twenty seconds from throwing the five playing dice within which to form a sentence or phase If a sentence or phrase cannot be formed, the player does not score Before the expiry of twenty seconds the contrasting dice 10 may be thrown in an attempt to complete a phrase or sentence. If the contrasting dice enables the player to form a sentence, the points on each surface of each dice are added up then doubled If no phrase or sentence is formed from the contrasting dice 10, 5 points are lost

It will be recognised by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and modifications may be made to the invention as broadly described herein such as but not limited to changing the shape and number of surfaces on each element and changing the number of elements used in a game without departing from the overall spirit and scope of the invention

Claims

THE CLAIMS

1. A recreational random word game comprising at least two dice one of which has a colour which contrasts with the remaining dice, wherein each dice has at least one surface having at least one word thereon wherein the dice are thrown either together or one after another after which the dice come to rest such that a surface on each dice presents at least one word to a player which the player then combines with another word or words on another surface of one or more of the other dice to form a phrase or sentence.

2. A recreational word game according to claim 1 wherein one face of each dice is blank whilst the remainder of the faces each contain at least one word thereon.

3. A recreational word game according to claim 1 wherein each dice includes on each said surface in addition to said at least one word a number.

4. A recreational word game according to claim 3 wherein the player's score is determined by the addition of each said number on each of the nominated surfaces of each dice containing the words which are combined to form said sentence or a phrase.

5. A recreational word game according to claim 4 wherein there are five dice of one colour and one dice of a contrasting colour.

6. A dice for use in a recreational random word game comprising 6 faces, at least one of which has at least one word thereon wherein the dice is coloured to contrast with the colour of at least one other dice used in the random word game.

7. A dice according to claim 6 wherein one face is blank with the remaining five faces having at least one word thereon.

8. A dice according to claim 7 wherein each face includes a number in addition to said word or words.