Word game apparatus

Abstract

A game for use by a plurality of players is disclosed. The game comprises a bag, a scoop for each player, a plurality of game pieces and a timer. In use, and in a starting arrangement of the game, the pieces are disposed in the bag. Each piece bears at least one visually-perceptible letter and a corresponding Braille representation of the letter. The pieces are sufficient in number such that, in use, and from the starting arrangement, each player can, in turn, manually-manipulate the scoop provided for the player to randomly withdraw from the bag a respective group of pieces, said group containing a sufficient number of game pieces to permit said pieces to be arranged in at least one subgroup wherein the letters of said pieces form a word. The timer demarcates a period of time in which each player can arrange the pieces to form words.

1 . A game apparatus for use with a container, said game apparatus comprising: 
 one or more scoops; and    a plurality of game pieces disposed in said container in use in a starting arrangement of the game apparatus, each game piece bearing at least one visually-perceptible character and a corresponding tactile representation of said at least one character, said game pieces being sufficient in number such that, from the starting arrangement, each of said one or more scoops can be manually manipulated to randomly withdraw from said container a respective group of game pieces, said group containing a sufficient number of game pieces to permit the game pieces of said group to be arranged in at least one subgroup wherein the characters of said pieces collectively form a linguistic element.    
   
   
       2 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one visually-perceptible character is a natural-language alphabetic letter.  
   
   
       3 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tactile representation is a Braille representation of the at least one visually-perceptible character.  
   
   
       4 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the linguistic element is a word.  
   
   
       5 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the group contains a sufficient number of game pieces to permit the game pieces of said group to be arranged in a plurality of subgroups wherein the characters of said pieces collectively form a linguistic element.  
   
   
       6 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the game pieces are sufficient in number to permit a plurality of groups of said game pieces to be drawn from the plurality of game pieces.  
   
   
       7 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of scoops are provided.  
   
   
       8 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each game piece is a game tile having two sides and wherein the at least one visually-perceptible character and tactile representation of the same character appear on each side of the tile.  
   
   
       9 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a timer.  
   
   
       10 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a time for each of said one or more scoops.  
   
   
       11 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of game pieces consists of 228 game pieces.  
   
   
       12 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein  6  scoops are provided.  
   
   
       13 . A game apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an opaque bag which defines said container in use.  
   
   
       14 . A game apparatus for use by a plurality of players, said game apparatus comprising: 
 an opaque bag;    a scoop for each player    a plurality of game pieces, the game pieces, in use and in a starting arrangement of the game apparatus, being disposed in the bag, each game piece bearing at least one visually-perceptible letter and a corresponding Braille representation of said at least one letter, said game pieces being sufficient in number such that, in use, and from the starting arrangement, each player can, in turn, manually-manipulate the scoop provided for that player to randomly withdraw from the bag a respective group of game pieces, said group containing a sufficient number of game pieces to permit the game pieces of said group to be arranged in at least one subgroup wherein the letters of said pieces collectively form a word; and    a timer for demarcating a period of time in which each player can arrange the pieces of the respective group into said at least one subgroup.    
   
   
       15 . A method whereby a plurality of players can play the game the apparatus of  claim 14 , comprising the steps of: 
 providing each player with a scoop;    placing the game apparatus in the starting arrangement;    allowing each player, in turn, to withdraw a respective group of game pieces from the container with the scoop provided to said each player;    using the timer to provide a predetermined period of time to each player to arrange the group of game pieces into subgroups, wherein the letters of the game pieces of the subgroup form a word;    assigning a score to each player based on the number of words formed by the player in a predetermined period of time.    
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the score assigned to each player is based on the number of words formed by the player.  
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the score assigned to each player is based on the length of the words formed by the player.  
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein sight-impaired players and children are provided a longer predetermined period of time to form words than adult, sighted players.  
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 15 , comprising the steps of choosing a predetermined target score and determining a winner on the basis of the first player whose aggregate score attains the predetermined target score.  
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined period of time provided to each player is provided simultaneously.