Board game apparatus

Claim 2

A game apparatus comprising: a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces having hidden identification means disposed on the underside thereof, said hidden identification means including at least one socket, the sockets of some of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than the sockets of other playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the shape of the socket on any one of the playing pieces before that playing piece may be played; and means defining a test station for receiving a selected playing piece including at least one boss which fits into a socket on at least one but not all of the playing pieces, and electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when a socket on a selected playing piece matches said boss when the playing piece is positioned onto said boss signifying the correctness of a player''s guess as to the shape of the socket of that selected playing piece.

Claim 3

The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said signal means includes illuminating means.

Claim 4

The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sockets each have one of a plurality of different geometric shapes and including a plurality of different shaped bosses at said test station equal in number to the plurality of different socket shapes.

Claim 5

The game apparatus of claim 1 including a playing board having a plurality of playing positions thereon, each playing position having protruding means formed thereon to matingly receive at least one but not all of said playing pieces.

Claim 6

The game apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said playing positions on said playing board has a boss which fits a socket on at least one but not all of the playing pieces.

Claim 7

A game apparatus comprising: a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces having recessed irregular surface means on the underside thereof defining hidden identification means when said playing pieces are placed with one side facing downwardly on a supporting surface, the irregular surface means of some of the playing pieces having a different configuration from that of other playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the nature of the surface means on a selected playing piece before that playing piece may be played; a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having irregular surface means protruding therefrom and mating with the recessed irregular surface means of at least one but not all of said playing pieces; and means defining a three-dimensional test station defined by an upright support member extending upwardly from the game board, said test station including protruding irregular surface means formed on the top of said support member for mating with the recessed irregular surface means of at least one but not all of the playing pieces and electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when the recessed irregular surface means of a playing piece mates with the protruding irregular surface means of the test station and is positioned thereon signifying the correctness of a player''s guess regarding the nature of the recessed irregular surface means of a selected playing piece.

Claim 8

A game apparatus comprising: a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces having recessed irregular surface means on the underside thereof defining hidden identification means when said playing pieces are placed with one side facing downwardly on a supporting surface, the irregular surface means of some of the playing pieces having a different configuration from that of other playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the nature of the surface means on a selected playing piece before that playing piece may be played; a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having irregular surface means protruding therefrom and mating with the recessed irregular surface means of at least one but not all of said playing pieces; and means defining a three-dimensional test station defined by an upright support member extending upwardly from the game board, said test station including protruding irregular surface means formed on the top of said support member for mating with the recessed irregular surface means of at least one but not all of the playing pieces and electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when the recessed irregular surface means of a playing piece mates with the protruding irregular surface means of the test station and is positioned thereon signifying the correctness of a player''s guess regarding the nature of the recessed irregular surface means of a selected playing piece.

Claim 9

The game apparatus of claim 3 wherein said electrical apparatus includes two normally spaced apart electrical contacts connected to said signal means, one contact being mounted on the test station for movement toward the other contact in order to actuate the signal means, and means including an element mounted on said playing piece for moving the movably mounted contact into contact with the other contact whenever a matching playing piece is fitted on a matching protruding irregular surface means.

Claim 10

The game apparatus of claim 7 wherein said upright support member has a hollow generally translucent portion, said signal means comprising illuminating means housed within said translucent portion.

Claim 11

The game apparatus of claim 8 wherein said upright support member is in the form of a simulated human head and neck, with a portion of the head being hollow and translucent with said illuminating means disposed therein.

Claim 12

The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrical apparatus includes two normally spaced apart electrical contacts connected to said signal means, one contact being mounted on the test station for movement toward the other contact in order to actuate the signal means, and means including an element mounted on said playing piece for moving the movably mounted contact into contact with the other contact whenever a matching playing piece is fitted on a matching boss.

Claim 13

A game apparatus comprising: a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces each having at least one socket on the underside thereof, the sockets of some of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than other of the playing pieces so that the players of the game will not know the geometric shape of the socket of a particular playing piece; and a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having a boss formed thereon foR matingly positioning in some but not all of the sockets of the playing pieces.

Claim 14

A game apparatus comprising: a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces each having at least one socket on the underside thereof, the sockets of some of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than other of the playing pieces so that the players of the game will not know the geometric shape of the socket of a particular playing piece; and a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having a boss formed thereon foR matingly positioning in some but not all of the sockets of the playing pieces.

Claim 15

The game apparatus of claim 11 including means defining a test station including at least one boss adapted to matingly receive some but not all of the sockets of the playing pieces.

Claim 16

The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said test station includes electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when a socket on a selected playing piece is matingly received by said test station boss.

Claim 17

The game apparatus of claim 13 wherein said electrical apparatus includes two normally spaced apart electrical contacts connected to said signal means, one contact being mounted on the test station for movement toward the other contact in order to actuate the signal means, and means including an element mounted on said playing piece for moving the movably mounted contact into contact with the other contact whenever a matching playing piece is fitted on a matching boss.

Claim 18

The game apparatus of claim 14 wherein said signal means includes illuminating means.

Claim 19

A game apparatus comprising a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces each having recessed irregular surface means on the underside thereof defining hidden identification means when the playing pieces are placed with one side facing downwardly on a supporting surface, such as a game board, the irregular surface means of at least some but not all of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than other of the playing pieces so that the players of the game must guess the geometric shape of the irregular surface means of a particular playing piece; and a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having protruding irregular surface means formed on the top thereof for mating with some but not all of the irregular surface means on the playing pieces.

Claim 20

A game apparatus comprising a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces each having recessed irregular surface means on the underside thereof defining hidden identification means when the playing pieces are placed with one side facing downwardly on a supporting surface, such as a game board, the irregular surface means of at least some but not all of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than other of the playing pieces so that the players of the game must guess the geometric shape of the irregular surface means of a particular playing piece; and a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having protruding irregular surface means formed on the top thereof for mating with some but not all of the irregular surface means on the playing pieces.