Word guessing game having letters associated with grid positions

Abstract

In a word guessing game, letters are grouped into words and the letters are associated with game positions. A player selects game positions and, if a letter is located at a selected game position, the letter is revealed to the player. The player may then attempt to guess the word which the letter is a part of. In a multi-player game, the player who determines all of the other player's words first is declared the winner. In a single player game, the player may be declared a winner if they determine all of the words within a period of time or number of position selections or guesses.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of playing a game via an electronic gaming device having at least one video display, a controller and one or more user input devices, said controller configured to:
 a) cause said video display to display a plurality of letter positions;   b) associate alphabetical letters with one or more of said letter positions, said plurality of letters grouped into combinations forming words;   c) receive a selection of a designated letter position from a player via one of said user input devices;   d) if said designated letter position has an associated letter, reveal the letter to the player by said at least one video display;   e) after revealing the letter to the player, receive a guess from said player of the word the player believes said letter is associated with; and   f) determine if said player has correctly guessed said word.   
     
     
         2 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising the step of repeating steps c)-e) at least one time if said player has not correctly guessed all of said words. 
     
     
         3 . The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said electronic gaming device includes a wager accepting device and including the step of accepting a wager from said player to play said game and, if said player is correctly guesses all of said words, declaring said player a winner of said game and awarding winnings to said player. 
     
     
         4 . A method of playing a two-player word game using at least one game board which defines a first set of letter positions, a second set of letter positions and elements bearing letters, comprising:
 a first player associating a first set of alphabetical letters with one or more of said first set of letter positions, said first set of letters grouped into combinations forming one or more words;   a second player associating a second set of alphabetical letters with one or more of said second set of letter positions, said second set of letters grouped into combinations forming one or more words;   said first player selecting one or more letter positions of said second set of letter positions and, if said letter positions contain a letter, revealing said letter;   said second player selecting one or more letter positions of said first set of letter positions and, if said letter positions contain a letter, revealing said letter;   at one or more times, receiving a guess from one of said players of a word or words said player believes are associated with the other player's set of letter positions; and   declaring a winner of said game to be the player who first correctly guesses the words associated with the other players set of letter positions.   
     
     
         5 . The method in accordance with  claim 4 , comprising a first game board bearing said first set of letter positions and a second game board bearing said second set of letter positions. 
     
     
         6 . The method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein said elements bearing letters comprise physical tiles. 
     
     
         7 . The method in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said first set of letter positions are identified by coordinates and said second set of letter positions are identified by coordinates. 
     
     
         8 . The method in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said first and second sets of letter positions comprise a matrix of 7×7 letter positions. 
     
     
         9 . The method in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said at least one game board further comprises a first set of guessed letter positions for use by said first player in denoting selected letter positions of said second set of letter positions and a second set of guessed letter positions for use by said second player in denoting selected letter positions of said first set of letter positions. 
     
     
         10 . The method in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said one or more words are associated with a theme, subject or topic. 
     
     
         11 . The method in accordance with  claim 4  wherein said one or more words comprise multiple words which are connected by commonly shared letters. 
     
     
         12 . A system for presenting a two-player game comprising:
 at least one game server;   a first communication link between said game server and a game presentation device of a first player;   a second communication link between said game server and a game presentation device of a second player;   said at least one game server configured to:   receive input from said first player to their game presentation device of the first player's association of a first set of alphabetical letters with one or more of a first set of letter positions, said first set of letters grouped into combinations forming one or more words;   receive input a second player to their game presentation device of the second player's association of a second set of alphabetical letters with one or more of said second set of letter positions, said second set of letters grouped into combinations forming one or more words;   receive selection by said first player of one or more letter positions of said second set of letter positions and, if said letter positions contain a letter, revealing said letter;   receive selection by said second player of one or more letter positions of said first set of letter positions and, if said letter positions contain a letter, revealing said letter;   at one or more times, receiving a guess from one of said players of a word or words said player believes are associated with the other player's set of letter positions; and   declaring a winner of said game to be the player who first correctly guesses the words associated with the other players set of letter positions.   
     
     
         13 . The system in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said game presentation devices are selected from the group comprising a mobile communication device, a tablet, a laptop computer and a desk-top computer. 
     
     
         14 . The system in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said at least one game server generates a game score for said first player and said second player. 
     
     
         15 . The system in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said revealing said letter comprises causing said game presentation device to display said letter on an electronic display thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The system in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said at least one game server is further configured to screen said one or more words. 
     
     
         17 . The system in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said at least one game server is configured to intermediate game play between said first player and said second player.