Word Game

Abstract

A word game has a plurality of game pieces, each game piece implemented in a geometric shape common to other game pieces, and having one or more surfaces displaying one or more letters, one or more playing surfaces, each playing surface having designated regions for placing single game pieces, a mechanism enabling selection of one or more categories for words in a specific game, and a mechanism for enabling selection of a specific rule set from a plurality of rule sets to govern play and determine a winner of a game played by two or more players.

1 . A game comprising:
 a plurality of game pieces, each game piece implemented in a geometric shape common to other game pieces, and having one or more surfaces displaying one or more letters;   one or more playing surfaces, each playing surface having designated regions for placing single game pieces;   a mechanism enabling selection of one or more categories for words in a specific game; and   a mechanism for enabling selection of a specific rule set from a plurality of rule sets to govern play and determine a winner of a game played by two or more players.   
     
     
         2 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the game pieces are cubes or rectangles, and one letter is displayed on individual ones of six surfaces of each game piece. 
     
     
         3 . The game of  claim 1  wherein each playing surface is a movable panel having an upper surface upon which the designated regions are arranged in a matrix having rows and columns. 
     
     
         4 . The game of  claim 3  wherein the designated regions are indentions in the upper surface, the indentions having a common geometry compatible with the shape of the game pieces enabling game pieces to be placed in and securely held in the indentions with a single letter displayed upward, and placed adjacently to form words. 
     
     
         5 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the mechanism for selection one or more categories for words in a specific game is one or more printed cards. 
     
     
         6 . The game of  claim 5  wherein there are a plurality of printed cards each displaying one word category, enabling a category for a game to be selected by a player drawing one card from the plurality of cards. 
     
     
         7 . The game of  claim 5  wherein two or more word categories are displayed on two or more cards, enabling categories to be selected by agreement of players in a game. 
     
     
         8 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the mechanism for selecting a rule set for a game is a plurality of rule cards, enabling a rule set to be determined by a player drawing a card from the plurality of rule cards. 
     
     
         9 . The game of  claim 1  further comprising a timer enabling games to be played according to rules that specify specific time limits for tasks in a game or for complete games. 
     
     
         10 . The game of  claim 1  wherein letters are displayed on game pieces in different fonts and in different colors, and one or more rule sets limit players to using letters in specific fonts or colors, or both, to form words in a selected category. 
     
     
         11 . The game of  claim 1  wherein selectable rule sets define one of more of time limits for play by individual players or for complete games, limitations on which letters may be used depending on font or color or both, and specific ways in which game pieces are to be arranged on a playing surface. 
     
     
         12 . A method for playing a game, comprising steps of:
 (a) providing a plurality of game pieces to individual players, each game piece implemented in a geometric shape common to other game pieces, and having one or more surfaces displaying one or more letters;   (b) providing at least one playing surface having designated regions for placing single game pieces;   (c) providing a mechanism enabling selection of one or more categories for words in a specific game; and   (d) imposing a rule set to govern allowable actions by individual players, and conditions for winning the game.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the game pieces are cubes or rectangles, one letter is displayed on individual ones of six surfaces of each game piece, and a rule set selected governs how game pieces are to be placed on the playing surface to form words according to one or more word categories selected. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each playing surface is a movable panel having an upper surface upon which the designated regions are arranged in a matrix having rows and columns. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the designated regions are indentions in the upper surface, the indentions having a common geometry compatible with the shape of the game pieces enabling game pieces to be placed in and securely held in the indentions. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the mechanism for selection one or more categories for words in a specific game is one or more printed cards. 
     
     
         17 . The game of  claim 16  wherein there are a plurality of printed cards each displaying one word category, enabling a category for a game to be selected by a player drawing one card from the plurality of cards. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein two or more word categories are displayed on two or more cards, enabling categories to be selected by agreement of players in a game. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the mechanism for selecting a rule set for a game is a plurality of rule cards, enabling a rule set to be determined by a player drawing a card from the plurality of rule cards. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising a timer enabling games to be played according to rules that specify specific time limits for tasks in a game or for complete games. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  wherein game pieces are provided in different colors, and/or letters are displayed on game pieces in different fonts and in different colors, and one or more rule sets limit players to using game pieces of certain colors, or letters in specific fonts or colors, to form words on the playing surface. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12  wherein selectable rule sets define one of more of time limits for play by individual players or for complete games, limitations of which words may be used depending on font or color or both, specific ways in which game pieces are to be arranged on a playing surface.