Word-linking board game apparatus and method of use

Abstract

A multi-player word linking board game apparatus configured to provide a turn style word-linking game wherein a winner is declared by not reaching a pre-determined “final grid.” The apparatus includes a foldable game board have a plurality of successively numbered grids and superimposed over a background containing a variety of associating words. The apparatus further enables each participating player to challenge another's word-link and if successful forfeit a turn play.

1 . A word-linking board game apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a game board including a plurality of consecutively labeled spaces arranged thereon, the consecutively labeled spaces having a start space and an end space;   a plurality of distinguishable game pawns, each game pawn being assigned to at least one player and positionable in a space and moveable from one space to another as the game progresses;   a timer;   a plurality of playing cards, each playing card having at least one associating word on a first side; and   a set of instructions to guide the players to play in turn according to at least the following steps:
 a first player attempts to suggest a word-link associated with an associating word on a card drawn by the first player or associated with a previous word-link suggested by a previous player; 
 responsive to the first player failing to suggest a word-link before expiration of the timer without a supported challenge, a game pawn of the first player is advanced toward the end space and a next player takes a turn to suggest a another word-link; and 
 the above steps are repeated until all but one player's game pawn has advanced to the end space, at which time the player whose game pawn has not advanced to the end space is declared the winner. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the board includes a background containing a plurality of potential associating words. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the board further includes a specialty grid at a center of the board which is configured to receive the plurality of playing cards. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the square-shaped board game includes an “out” grid. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of game pawns includes a unique design scheme. 
     
     
         10 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of playing a word-linking board game, the method comprising:
 providing a game board having a plurality of sequentially labeled spaces thereon, the sequentially labeled spaces having a first space and a last space;   distributing at least one playing pawn from a plurality of distinguishable playing pawns to each of a plurality of players;   providing a plurality of playing cards, each of the plurality of playing cards containing an associating word;   each player in turn attempting to create a word-link from one of an associating word drawn from the plurality of playing cards and a word-link provided by a previous turn's player, the attempting subject to a constraint of at least one of a time limit and a successful challenge to the attempted word-link, the challenge being made by another player whose turn it is not;   changing a position on the board of a pawn of the player whose turn it is when the player whose turn it is fails to create a word-link within the time limit or creates a word-link that is successfully challenged by a player whose turn it is not; and   declaring as the winner the player whose playing pawn has not advanced to the last space when all other player's pawns have advanced to the last space.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a challenge is considered successful if joined by at least one other player. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein changing a position on the board of a pawn of a player includes advancing the pawn toward the last space. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a player may choose to start a timer at any time during another player's turn. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions provide that a challenge is considered successful if joined by a player not first asserting the challenge. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a winner is the one player whose game pawn has not advanced to the end space when all other player's game pawns have advanced to the end space. 
     
     
         23 . A method of playing a word-link game by constraining player behavior according to a set of rules of the game, the method comprising:
 providing a game board with a plurality of consecutive positions including a starting position and an ending position;   providing a plurality of game pawns, one for each of a plurality of players, and positionable at the starting position to start the game; and   providing a deck of cards, each card having only a single word that when drawn provides the starting word of a round of word-linking by the players;   advancing a game pawn of a player to a next subsequent position toward the ending position when the player fails to provide a word-link within a specified time and fails to provide a word-link without a supported challenge by another player; and   declaring a winner when all game pawns but one have advanced to the ending position.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a challenge is supported when supported by a player other than a player first asserting the challenge. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a player may choose to start a timer at any time during another player's turn. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein for a challenge to be supported, a player must support the challenge prior to the expiration of the timer.