Apparatus and method for constructing number puzzles

Abstract

An apparatus and method for constructing the two-dimensional five-number puzzle is provided wherein the twenty-five cubes, each with numbered indicia from “1” to “5”, are positionable in a five-times-five relationship grid that forms twenty-five square recesses arranged in five horizontal and five vertical rows intersecting each other, and a plurality of pattern cards can be chosen and positioned as the puzzle's background pattern that divides the five-times-five grid into five sections with three color indicia. The object of the game is to arrange the cubes so that the numerical indicia whereon are unique from “1” to “5” horizontally, vertically, as well as in each section, and the color indicia match those indicia of each section on the pattern card.

1 . A number puzzle device and method comprising: 
 a) Twenty-five cubes with three background color indicia, as well as five numerical indicia, from “1” to “5”;    b) Twenty-five squares divided into five-times-five relationship square recesses on the grid for placing and holding the said cubes;    c) A plurality of pattern cards, each dividing five-times-five relationship squares into five different adjacent sections in a particular pattern with three different background color indicia;    
   
   
       2 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 1  in which the twenty-five cubes are imprinted on the five sides, with each side having a unique numbered indicia, with the blank on the sixth side of said cubes.  
   
   
       3 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 1  in which among the twenty-five said cubes, five of them have the background color indicia identical with the color indicia of the center section of the pattern cards, ten of them have the first background color indicia of the pattern cards, and the other ten of them have the second background color indicia of the pattern cards.  
   
   
       4 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 1  in which a plurality of pattern cards, each dividing five-times-five relationship grid squares into five five-adjacent-square sections, forming a plurality of patterns that serve as the playing background of the puzzle.  
   
   
       5 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 1  in which each pattern card has a specific section in the grid center with identical background color indicia on the said section, and two pairs of sections around the said center section, each pair of said sections with the identical background color having 180-degree rotational symmetry about a central point of said grid center, and squares with,the same color indicia within each section are adjacent one another.  
   
   
       6 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 1  in which each pattern as the playing surface is representing the different level of complexities of the puzzle, and the patterns on the cards are such designed and selected that any puzzles setup in accordance with the methods of puzzle construction described in the present invention are definitely solvable.  
   
   
       7 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 1  in which the five-times-five relationship square on the grid forms twenty-five square recesses arranged in five horizontal and five vertical rows intersecting each other.  
   
   
       8 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 7  in which each square recess on the grid can hold and house in the playing cubes so that the held cube can be easily moved, replaced, flipped over and housed-in cube can not be easily moved, replaced, nor flipped over.  
   
   
       9 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 7  in which the grid has a slot where the pattern cards can easily be inserted in, moved out, replaced by other cards, and displayed as the playing background of the grid.  
   
   
       10 . A number puzzle device according to  claim 7  in which the grid is transparent so that the player can view the patterns and colors of the playing background of the pattern cards.  
   
   
       11 . A Method of constructing the puzzle to  claim 1  that the five puzzle startup cubes are selected in such a way that 
 d) each cube has a unique number;    e) only one cube is with central background color indicia;    f) two cubes are with the first background color indicia and the other two cubes with the    second background color indicia, or four cubes are with the same color indicia; then, the cube with central color indicia is placed into the center square recess of grid, and the rest of four cubes into the recesses are randomly placed in such a way that each pair of cubes with the same color indicia having 180-degree rotational symmetry about a central point of said grid center;