Multiple design creation puzzle game and display

Abstract

A puzzle game in which game play creates different pictures or designs by assembling the constituent pieces in different arrangements. In one embodiment, a tray is configured to hold a set number of pieces that are generally cube-shaped blocks. Individual sides of the blocks desirably display different colors. Different blocks, or group of blocks, may carry different sets of colors to provide numerous color choices for visible display. A mosaic picture may be formed by arranging blocks in the tray to orient a specific colored side of each block for visible display at a designated location. The resulting picture may be displayed in the tray by hanging the tray from a wall or propping the tray to a substantially vertical orientation. Alternatively, the assembled picture or design may form a playing surface of a board game.

1 . A puzzle game for creating a mosaic design, comprising: 
 a tray defining an area in which to receive a plurality of removable game construction pieces in side-by-side planar assembly;    said plurality of game construction pieces, each one of said game construction pieces comprising a parallelepiped structure defined by six substantially planar surfaces, at least two of said surfaces being structured to be visually distinguishable from each other, said game construction pieces and said tray being structured in harmony such that said game construction pieces can be arranged over said area to form said mosaic design.    
   
   
       2 . The puzzle game according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a mechanism for retaining said game construction pieces in said tray, said mechanism being effective to resisting departure of said game construction pieces from an ordered position in said design as said tray is reoriented from a substantially horizontal configuration to a substantially vertical configuration.    
   
   
       3 . The puzzle game according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said parallelepiped structure is a cube.    
   
   
       4 . The puzzle game according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 each of the six faces of a said cube carries a different one of six colors.    
   
   
       5 . The puzzle game according to  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of differently colored faces distributed among a plurality of cubes operably to include a color assortment for display in said design comprising a total of at least 6 colors.    
   
   
       6 . The puzzle game according to  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of differently colored faces distributed among a plurality of cubes operably to include a color assortment for display in said design comprising a total of at least 36 colors.    
   
   
       7 . The puzzle game according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said tray is constructed to receive said construction pieces in a rectangular array comprising 25 rows and 25 columns.    
   
   
       8 . The puzzle game according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said mechanism for retaining said game construction pieces in said tray comprises a transparent lid securing over said tray.    
   
   
       9 . The puzzle game according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said mechanism for retaining said game construction pieces in said tray comprises a close fit between adjacent construction pieces and between perimeter construction pieces and bounding structure associated with said tray.    
   
   
       10 . The puzzle game according to  claim 2 , in combination with: 
 a holding structure adapted to maintain said tray in an orientation operable to place said design in a substantially vertical display orientation.    
   
   
       11 . The puzzle game according to  claim 7 , in combination with: 
 software operable in a computer system to form an instructional color map based upon an input picture, said map providing sufficient instructions for a user to orient construction pieces in said tray effective to produce a digitized replication of said input picture as a mosaic display.    
   
   
       12 . The puzzle game according to  claim 5 , in combination with game playing pieces comprising: 
 a first die comprising six differently colored faces; and    a second die comprising six faces, each face of said second die carrying structure arranged to indicate a different number.    
   
   
       13 . The puzzle game according to  claim 12 , wherein: 
 said construction pieces comprise a designated start piece and a designated stop piece; and    said tray comprises a plurality of storage bins configured to accommodate said game pieces and to accentuate the position of said start and stop pieces.    
   
   
       14 . The puzzle game according to  claim 13 , wherein: 
 each said designated piece carries visible indicia effective to differentiate over all other construction pieces.    
   
   
       15 . The puzzle game according to  claim 12 , wherein: 
 a game board formed by said construction pieces comprises between about 50 and 150 of said construction pieces.    
   
   
       16 . The puzzle game according to  claim 12 , in combination with: 
 a plurality of taws comprising 2 different and distinguishable groups, individual taws of each group being structured to resemble one-another.    
   
   
       17 . A method of playing a board game, the method comprising: 
 arranging a plurality of removable game board construction pieces, in a tray configured to receive said construction pieces, such that the resulting collection of visible surfaces of said construction pieces cooperatively forms a game board with spaces on which a game may be played by moving a game piece from space-to-space; and    moving one or more game play pieces along the constructed game board from space-to-space according to rules of play of a game.    
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 providing a first die having six differently colored faces; and    selecting the color of a destination space, for a player's game piece during that player's turn, by rolling said first die.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 providing a second die having six faces, each face carrying structure arranged to indicate a different number; and    selecting the number of spaces between a start position and a destination space for a player's game piece during that player's turn by rolling said second die.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 subsequent to a first period of game activity, rearranging an orientation of certain game construction pieces to form a game board having a different design effective to change the arrangement of spaces on said game board from the arrangement provided during said first period of game activity.