Word search puzzle having grid of cells containing multiple letters

Abstract

A word search type puzzle is provided in the form of a grid containing two or more letters in each cell. Words are formed by selecting one or more of the letters in each cell and progressing to other cells in a manner following a standard word search format, in that words may be formed forwards or backwards, vertically, horizontally or diagonally, in a linear fashion. Any combination of quantities of letters from each cell can be specified to be used in forming each solution. The grid can be mapped using coordinates for rows and columns. Solutions can be provided with hints for discovery, such as a starting or ending grid coordinate or direction within the grid. Solutions can be marked on the grid, or can be identified by the user by their coordinates and direction within the grid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A word search type puzzle comprising:
 a grid having a plurality of cells wherein each one of the plurality of cells contains at least one letter, at least one of the plurality of cells contains two or more letters, and two or more of the plurality of cells are solution cells, each solution cell comprising one or more solution letters; the grid further containing at least one word solution, the at least one word solution formed by connecting two or more solution letters whereby at least one of the solution cells contains two or more letters, each solution cell is adjacent to at least one other solution cell, and the solution cells form a linear configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , further including a coordinate system to identify the location of cells in the grid. 
     
     
         3 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the linear configuration is oriented in one of a forward and backward horizontal direction. 
     
     
         4 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the linear configuration is oriented in one of a forward and backward diagonal direction. 
     
     
         5 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the linear configuration is oriented in one of an upward and downward vertical direction. 
     
     
         6 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , further comprising a list of the word solutions to be found in the grid. 
     
     
         7 . The puzzle of  claim 6 , wherein the list of word solutions further comprises a grid coordinate to identify a starting cell for locating the word solution. 
     
     
         8 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the word solutions are formed utilizing only one of the letters in each adjoining cell. 
     
     
         9 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the word solutions are formed utilizing all of the letters in each adjoining cell, to the extent that the number of letters in the word solution is evenly divisible by the number of letters in each adjoining cell. 
     
     
         10 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the word solutions are formed utilizing a predetermined number of the letters contained in the adjoining cells. 
     
     
         11 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the word solutions are formed utilizing a predetermined range of numbers of the letters contained in the adjoining cells. 
     
     
         12 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein said grid arranges said cells in an array of rows and columns, said grid further comprising at least one enlarged cell that spans at least one of multiple columns and multiple rows. 
     
     
         13 . The puzzle of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one enlarged cell contains a number of letters corresponding to a multiple of the number of letters contained in adjacent non-enlarged cells. 
     
     
         14 . The puzzle of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one enlarged cell combines with adjoining cells of any of said multiple columns and multiple rows to form word solutions. 
     
     
         15 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , where a letter in one of said adjoining cells is utilized twice within the same cell to form the word solution. 
     
     
         16 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , further comprising an answer key revealing the location of the word solutions in the manner of one of circling, lining through, coloring, highlighting and removing unused letters. 
     
     
         17 . A word search type puzzle formed of an array of letters, wherein the letters are arrayed in a grid-like configuration, and wherein the letters are arrayed in groups of at least two letters within the grid-like configuration, and wherein a word solution is contained within the array of letters by combining letters from adjoining groups in a linear configuration so that the word solution is constructed by connecting at least one letter from one group to at least one letter in the next group in the linear configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The puzzle of  claim 17 , wherein the word solutions are constructed by combining multiple letters from at least one of said groups in the linear configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The puzzle of  claim 18 , further comprising a listing of word solutions contained within the array of letters. 
     
     
         20 . The puzzle of  claim 19 , wherein the listing of word solutions includes location indicia to identify a position of the word solution within the grid-like configuration.