Word Game and Method of Play

Abstract

A word game apparatus and method of play involving each player being represented by a set of square tiles of uniform color having various indicia imprinted thereon. Players in turn play these tiles to a game board having a grid pattern of squares. One color is declared the winner when a path of contiguous tiles of that color is formed between two end zones in accordance with the rules of the game. In some embodiments the game components are rendered using physical objects, and in other embodiments the game is implemented on computers with the game components appearing as images on electronic displays.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A game apparatus, comprising:
 a board having a playing surface, the playing surface comprising:
 a rectangular grid having a plurality of contiguous spaces arranged into columns and rows; and 
 end zones disposed on outer edges of the rectangular grid, the end zones comprising:
 a first pair of end zones disposed on opposing outer edges of the rectangular grid, and a second pair of end zones disposed on opposing outer edges of the rectangular grid, the first pair of end zones are visually distinct so as to correspond to a first set of tiles, and 
 the second pair of end zones are visually distinct so as to correspond to a second set of tiles. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The game apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pair of end zones and the second pair of end zones cooperatively define an outer peripheral edge around the rectangular grid. 
     
     
         3 . A game apparatus for a word game, comprising:
 a board having a substantially flat playing surface, a grid of a plurality of contiguous spaces disposed on the playing surface, and end zones disposed on outer edges of the grid, the end zones comprising a first pair of end zones disposed on opposing outer edges of the grid, and a second pair of end zones disposed adjacent to and between the first pair of end zones, and the first pair of end zones are marked with a first color corresponding to the first set of tiles and are assigned to the first player, and the second pair of end zones are marked with a second color corresponding to the second set of tiles and are assigned to the second player;   at least two sets of tiles, each tile of each set configured and dimensioned to fit within any of the plurality of spaces of the board and having a front surface and a back surface, each set assigned to a respective one of a plurality of players, the plurality of players including at least a first player and a second player, wherein:
 a plurality of the tiles comprise a letter on a front surface; and 
 a back surface of each tile in each set is indistinguishable from the back surface of other tiles in a same set, and 
 the at least two sets comprises a first set of a first color and a second set of a second color distinguishable from the first color; 
   wherein, during play, the players alternate turns to be designated an active player, at least one turn for each player during the word game comprises:
 placing one or more tiles of the respective set of tiles on the board with the front surface exposed, in one of a column and a row of unoccupied spaces on the board to form a word readable one of left-to-right and top-to-bottom as viewed from a position of the active player, each of the one or more tiles being placed diagonally to at least one previously played tile of the active player only if adjacent to both the one or more tiles being placed and the at least one previously played tile is at least one of: 
 another of the one or more tiles being placed, and 
 another previously played tile of the active player; and 
   wherein a winner is declared when one of the players forms a continuous path of adjacent tiles between the assigned pair of end zones.   
     
     
         4 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the grid comprises intersecting lines forming the spaces arranged in at least sixteen columns and sixteen rows; and   each space is substantially square.   
     
     
         5 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the board and the tiles are embodied by physical objects. 
     
     
         6 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the board and the tiles are embodied using at least one processor and at least one electronic display device. 
     
     
         7 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , comprising a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising rules for game play that comprise:
 specifying alternating turns in order by players to be designated an active player, at least one turn for each player during the word game comprising:
 placing one or more tiles of the respective set of tiles on the board with a front surface of the one or more tiles exposed, in one of a column and a row of unoccupied spaces on the board to form a word readable one of left-to-right and top-to-bottom as viewed from a position of the active player, each of the one or more tiles being placed diagonally to at least one previously played tile of the active player only if at least one tile of the active player is adjacent to both the one or more tiles being placed and the at least one previously played tile; and 
   declaring a winner when one of the players forms a continuous path of adjacent tiles between the assigned pair of end zones.   
     
     
         8 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein rules for game play further specify that tiles may be placed by the active player adjacent to any previously played tiles of the active player only if acceptable words are formed in standard crossword fashion. 
     
     
         9 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein rules for game play further specify:
 assigning to a first player the first set of tiles;   assigning to a second player the second set of tiles; and   designating to each player a respective predetermined number of tiles of a respective one of the first and the second sets of tiles to be drawn from the respective available tiles assigned to the first player and the second player, the one or more tiles placed by the active player being selected from the respective predetermined number of tiles.   
     
     
         10 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein rules for game play further specify requiring the active player, after placing the one or more tiles of the respective set of tiles on the board, to replace the number of played tiles with a corresponding number of new tiles from the set of respective available tiles. 
     
     
         11 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein rules for game play further specify that in one of the alternating turns, the active player is permitted to position a single tile from a private tile viewing area of the active player to any unoccupied space within the shared playing area if the single tile is placed on the board with a back surface exposed. 
     
     
         12 . The game apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein rules for game play further specify that the single tile is allowed to be placed diagonally to a second at least one previously played tile of the active player only if placement of the single tile results in a one side of the single tile contacting a side of a third previously played tile of the active player and another side of the single tile touching a side of the second at least one previously played tile. 
     
     
         13 . The game apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein rules for game play further specify that in one of the alternating turns, the active player is permitted to at least one of:
 exchange one or more tiles, chosen by the active player from the private tile viewing area of the active player, with an equal number of tiles selected randomly from the set of respective available tiles; and   pass the turn to a next player without acting.   
     
     
         14 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein rules for game play further specify:
 a legality of a play in a turn may be challenged by any player who is not the active player;   if the play is determined to be legal, the player who is not the active player making the challenge misses a next turn; and   if the play is determined to be illegal, the active player reverts the board to a state prior to the turn and the player who challenged the play becomes the active player;   wherein the play is determined to be illegal at least when one or more words formed by the play are not on a list of acceptable words.   
     
     
         15 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein rules for game play further specify declaring a draw if there is at least one of:
 a predetermined number of sequential non-plays by the players, non-plays being at least one of passes and swaps; and   an agreement to the draw by the players.   
     
     
         16 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein rules for game play further specify that a maximum time limit is associated with each player, and wherein a particular player of the players loses if the maximum time limit associated with the particular player is exceeded. 
     
     
         15 . The game apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein rules for game play further specify that a player may take back a last turn of the player if no subsequent turn has yet been initiated. 
     
     
         16 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the board and the tiles are embodied by physical objects. 
     
     
         17 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the board and the tiles are embodied using at least one processor and at least one electronic display device. 
     
     
         18 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein one or more tiles of each set includes a wildcard symbol, and wherein a letter represented by one of the one or more tiles having the wildcard symbol is announced by the player when the one of the one or more tiles is played. 
     
     
         19 . The game apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a back surface of each tile in each set is indistinguishable from the back surface of other tiles in a same set.