Entertaining and educational new word-making game with a playing method unique to the genre, designed for players 12+ who prior to subject invention enjoyed older variations of word games

Abstract

A word transforming game for fun, interaction and educational benefit for two or more players. This invention involves spelling, learning new words and the ability to discern changes in letter pronunciation. Contents include non-standard playing cards, a plurality of decks and a timer. The top of the front of each card contains one or two large-sized words, under which are additional words. The bottom of the card front contains a plurality of additional words. One player recites aloud to a second player the word(s) at the top of one card. Second player attempts to create another word by adding one letter to the given word. Second player says aloud their new word, demonstrating one letter was added and at least one letter from original word has a new sound. The new word earns points if it meets the above requirements and appears on the lower half of the card.

1 . I claim a word changing and making card game comprising:
 a) Subject invention is distinguished from prior games in this genre wherein not only must a new word be created from a preexisting word by a player or team, but in said new word at least one letter in said word must change its sound or phonetic pronunciation when spoken aloud;
 I. A letter can change its sound or phonetic pronunciation if it is no longer heard in the new word and when such a phenomenon occurs, said letter that is no longer heard is referred to as a “silent letter;” 
   b) Subject invention is simplified compared to previous word-changing games in that it doesn't require such commonly used elements such as a game board, movable pieces or spinning devices, a die or dice, tiles or cubes, racks, trays or cardholders or a dealer;   c) Subject invention does not require players to hold multiple cards simultaneously, making it easier for younger players to participate in subject invention;   d) The compactness of subject invention has a further benefit in that it can be enjoyed on a very small semi-rigid play surface in a home-like setting, in moving vehicles or on the ground in picnic or camping situations;   e) Subject invention is safer for children in that it does not utilize small pieces frequently referred to as “choking hazards;”   f) One or more decks containing a plurality of like size, shape, material and thickness custom playing cards, each having a front and a rear side;   g) A common design and arrangement of elements shall appear on the fronts and backs of all cards;   h) Wherein the rear of all cards in each of the one or more decks shall be similar in color and indicia and no individual deck shall have the same color on its back as any other deck;   i) In the preferred embodiment there may be one or more words on the backs of said cards, which words may not be in specific reference to the words appearing on the fronts of said cards;   j) Wherein the fronts of all cards shall contain a plurality of information;   k) Subject invention shall use the English alphabet wherein the majority of words used will be words of the English language, meaning the dialect of English as spoken in North America;   l) Subject invention may use words of a non-English language or origin, slang, abbreviations, acronyms, proper nouns and/or words containing punctuation marks such as apostrophes or hyphens;   m) A preferred objective of winning subject game is by the accumulation of points without limiting the creativity or experience of players from utilizing other ways to determine a game winner(s).   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the preferred embodiment being designed for family entertainment, said preference does not restrict future embodiments designed for audiences of children, adults only, highly skilled enthusiasts of word games or other sub-sets of fans that enjoy playing word related games. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the preferred embodiment relying on 3- and 4-letter English words, said reliance does not restrict a future embodiment from relying on words containing different numbers of letters or in a language other than English. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising an educational value in playing subject invention wherein said game not only widens the vocabulary and spelling skills of players, but also teaches that various letters in the English language sound different when spoken aloud in certain word-making combinations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising a timing device calibrated for a predetermined length of time to define the duration of each player's or team's turn. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the flexibility to add to the enjoyment, challenge and play options of subject invention wherein players may alter said rules and sequence of play to a method(s) of their choosing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the lack of the multiple elements required by other entries in this field enables subject invention to be manufactured, packaged and transported less expensively, thereby making it more appealing to those in the industry who may produce and market the game of subject invention. 
     
     
         8 . I claim a game comprising the following in the preferred embodiment:
 a) On a card like  FIG. 2 , at the top of said card shall be one 3-letter word  30  in a font size larger than any other word on said  FIG. 2  card;   b) On a card like  FIG. 2  directly beneath the 3-letter word, shall be a plurality of words  40  called “clues” that may include a dictionary definition and/or a pronunciation aid and/or a usage example of the 3-letter word on said card;   c) On a card like  FIG. 2 , directly below the plurality of words cited in b) will be a single 4-letter word  50 ;   d) On a card like  FIG. 2 , directly beneath said 4-letter word  50 , shall be a plurality of words  60  called “clues” that may include a dictionary definition and/or a pronunciation aid and/or a usage example of the 4-letter;   e) On a card like  FIG. 3 , at the top of said card will be one 3-letter word  30  in a font size larger than any other word on said  FIG. 3  card;   f) On a card like  FIG. 3  directly beneath the 3-letter word, will be a plurality of words  40  called “clues” that may include a dictionary definition and/or a pronunciation aid and/or a usage example of the 3-letter word on said card;   g) On a card like  FIG. 3 , directly below the plurality of words cited in f) shall be the first of two 4-letter words  55 ;   h) On a card like  FIG. 3 , directly beneath said first 4-letter word, will be a plurality of words  65  called “clues” that may include a dictionary definition and/or a pronunciation aid and/or a usage example of said first 4-letter word;   i) On a card like  FIG. 3 , directly below the plurality of words  65  cited in h) will be a second 4-letter word  75 ;   j) On a card like  FIG. 3 , directly beneath said second 4-letter word, will be a plurality of words  85  called “clues” that may include a dictionary definition and/or a pronunciation aid and/or a usage example of the second 4-letter word;   k) On a card like  FIG. 4  at the top of said card shall be two side-by-side 3-letter words  82  in a font size larger than any other word on said  FIG. 4  card;   l) On a card like  FIG. 4 , directly beneath the two 3-letter words shall be a plurality of words  84  called “clues” that may include a dictionary definition and/or a pronunciation aid and/or a usage example of the two side-by-side 3-letter words;   m) On a card like  FIG. 4 , directly below the plurality of words cited in l) shall be two side-by-side 4-letter words  90 ;   n) On a card like  FIG. 4 , directly beneath said two 4-letter words, shall first be a plurality of words  92  that may include a dictionary definition and/or a pronunciation aid and/or a usage example of the first 4-letter word, followed by a second plurality of words  94  that may include a dictionary definition and/or a pronunciation aid and/or a usage example of the second 4-letter word.   
     
     
         9 . According to  claim 8 , the plurality of cards in subject invention shall be unevenly divided among  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 ; 
     
     
         10 . I claim a technique of playing a game according to subject invention as follows:
 a) Whereas subject invention can be enjoyed equally by two or more individual players or multi-player teams, those intending to play may determine whether the ensuing game(s) will be contested by individual players or teams;   b) A player shall be become the Scorekeeper who shall record points earned by each player or team and announce the winner of the one or more games played as determined by the players or teams competing;   c) One player shall be designated to shuffle and intermingle one or more decks of specialized playing cards, then laying said shuffled, intermingled deck, hereafter called the “draw deck,” face down in a stack accessible to all players/teams;   d) One player shall be designated Player  1 , hereafter referred to as the Reader and the player to the left of Player  1  shall be Player  2 , called the Guesser or Guessing player;   e) Player  1  begins play by taking the top card off the draw deck, which for demonstration purposes shall look like  FIG. 2 , then reads aloud and spells to Player  2  the 3-letter word  30  and the plurality of words  40  shown below said 3-letter word;   f) After Player  1  reads aloud the 3-letter word and clues to Player  2 , the optional timing device shall be engaged for the predetermined length of time;   g) Before Guessing, Player  2  may ask to hear the clue  60  appearing beneath the 4-letter word  50  on said card;   h) Upon hearing the 3-letter word and related clues  30 / 40 , Player  2  attempts to guess a 4-letter word from the 3-letter word by adding a letter before the first letter or after the first, second or third letter of said 3-letter word;   i) In said 4-letter word, at least one of the letters in original 3-letter word must change its sound or phonetic pronunciation as demonstrated when said 4-letter word is verbally indicated aloud, and upon the addition of said one letter, the sequence of the original three letters may not have changed;   j) Player  2  shall earn a predetermined number of points if the 4-letter word  50  guessed satisfies the aforementioned requirements, appears on the card in play and their guess was made before the timing device expired;   k) The turn of Player  2  ends by winning said points or by making an incorrect guess;   l) Play will continue with Player  2  becoming the Reader and the player to his/her left the Guessing player;   m) The new Reader shall remove the top card off the draw deck, which for demonstration purposes shall be like  FIG. 3 , then read aloud and spell to the Guessing player the 3-letter word  30  on the top line of said selected card, followed by the plurality of words  40  below said 3-letter word;   n) When a  FIG. 3  card is taken from the draw deck, the Reader shall indicate same to the Guessing player with a statement approximating “This card has two chances to win points.”   o) After the Reader reads aloud the 3-letter word and clues, the optional timing device shall be engaged for the predetermined length of time allowed;   p) Upon hearing the 3-letter word  30  and related clues  40 , the Guessing player attempts to guess either of the two 4-letter words  55 / 75  from the 3-letter word previously recited by adding one letter before the first letter or after the first, second or third letter of said 3-letter word;   q) The guessing player may ask to hear the clues  65 / 75  beneath each 4-letter word on said card;   r) In the guessed 4-letter word, at least one letter in the original 3-letter word must change its sound or phonetic pronunciation as demonstrated when said 4-letter word is verbally indicated aloud and the sequence of the original three letters not have changed;   s) To earn a predetermined number of points, the Guesser must guess either of the two 4-letter words  55 / 75  appearing on the card and if said guess satisfies the aforementioned requirements and was made before the timing device expired;   t) If the Guessing player fails to correctly guess either of the 4-letter words in the predetermined amount of time, his/her turn ends;   u) If either of the 4-letter words  55 / 75  was correctly made, the player may earn additional points by guessing the second 4-letter word on subject card;   v) After the timing device is reset, the Guessing player must guess the remaining 4-letter word, doing so before the timing device expires;   w) The turn of Guessing player ends by winning points or by making an incorrect guess;   x) Play continues with Guessing player becoming the Reader and the player to his/her left becoming the Guessing player;   y) The new Reader shall take the top card off the draw deck, which for demonstration purposes shall look like  FIG. 4 , and reads aloud then spells to the Guessing player the two side-by-side 3-letter words  82  and the plurality of words  84  below said 3-letter words;   z) After Reader recites the plurality of words  84  the optional timing device is engaged for the predetermined length of time;   aa) The Guessing player may ask to hear the clues  92 / 94  appearing beneath each 4-letter word on said card;   bb) Upon hearing the two 3-letter words and clues, Guessing player must attempt to guess both side-by-side 4-letter words  90  at the same time by adding one letter before the first letter or after the first, second or third letter of each 3-letter word;   cc) In each guessed 4-letter word, at least one letter from each original 3-letter word must change its sound or phonetic pronunciation as demonstrated when each 4-letter word is verbally indicated aloud, and upon the addition of one letter, the sequence of the original three letters in each word shall not have changed;   dd) To earn a predetermined number of points, the Guesser must get both 4-letter words  90  on the card in play according to the aforementioned rules before the timing device expires, meaning the turn of Guessing player ends by winning said points or by making one or more incorrect guesses.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising, if players elect not to use said optional timing device, they may allow as much time as they agree upon for a player to attempt to guess a word or words as described in the accompanying rules. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising a game shall end when all the cards in the draw deck have been played resulting in the player(s) or team(s) with the highest accumulation of points being declared the winner(s).