Word game

Claim 2

A word game comprising a play area having a predetermined array of letter boxes formed thereon, said boxes including a first designated starting box and at least one set of boxes designated as bonus boxes; a fixed matrix consisting of a predetermined number and array of alphabet letters, arranged in a predetermined fixed sequence established prior to the play of the game and exposed to view throughout the game, with each of the letters of the alphabet being assigned a predetermined score value; said predetermined fixed sequence being selected to provide a predetermined solution to the game having an optimum score value wherein substantially all of the letters of the matrix are used; said matrix comprising a plurality of rows and columns of alphabet letters arrayed in said predetermined fixed sequence and including a first set of a predetermined number of letters in a fixed sequence from which letters are selected to form a first word in said play area, with one letter of said first word being placed in said starting box; said first set of letters comprising the first row of said matrix; the unselected letters in said first set being combined with immediately succeeding letters in the fixed sequence of letters in said predetErmined array of said fixed matrix to form a second set of letters equal in number to said first set and from which letters are selected to form a second word extending from and including a letter of said first word; said matrix containing sufficient letters in said predetermined array to form a plurality of successive letter sets of fixed sequences of letters whereby a player can form a plurality of interconnected words on said playing area, with only one letter in any box, to obtain a score by addition of the score values of letters used and the bonus scores for letters being placed in bonus boxes.

Claim 3

The word game as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of unvalued reserve letters available for addition to any of said sets by the player for formation of a word.

Claim 4

The word game as defined in claim 2 including four sets of bonus score boxes located in predetermined arrays in said play area, the first of said bonus score box sets representing triple word scores for any word including a letter located in one of the boxes of said set, the second set representing double word scores, the third set representing a triple letter score for any letter of a word placed in one of the boxes of said third set and the fourth set representing a double letter score.

Claim 5

The game as defined in claim 3 wherein said matrix comprises a plurality of vertically aligned rows of letters arranged in a predetermined sequence, with each of said rows including seven letters therein.

Claim 6

The game as defined in claim 4 wherein the uppermost row in said matrix defines said first set of letters and includes seven letters.

Claim 7

The game as defined in claim 5 wherein said reserve letters comprise one letter of each of the vowels a, e, i, o, u.

Claim 8

The game as defined in claim 6 including a plurality of independent letter matrices each including a plurality of independent letter matrices each including a predetermined number of alphabet letters differently arrayed in fixed predetermined sequences, whereby a plurality of different games may be played on said play area.

Claim 9

A solitaire word game comprising a fixed matrix of a plurality of alphabet letters arrayed in a fixed predetermined sequence, established prior to the play of the game and exposed to view throughout the game, said alphabet letters each being assigned a predetermined score value, and a game board having a plurality of letter boxes formed thereon, said letter boxes including a plurality of sets of bonus score boxes, at least one of said sets representing a multiple of the score of a letter placed in a box of the set and another of said sets representing a multiple of the sum of the letter scores of a word formed on said game board and having a letter thereof in one of its boxes, said matrix comprising a plurality of rows and columns of alphabet letters arrayed in said predetermined fixed sequence and having a plurality of sets of letters arranged in a predetermined sequence with each set of letters having the same number of letters therein, at least some of the letters in the first set in said matrix being used to form a first word on same game board with only one letter placed in any letter box and the unused letters in said first set being added to immediately succeeding letters in the fixed sequence of letters in the fixed matrix to form a group of letters equal in number to the letters of said first set and from which a second word is formed on said game board extending from and including a letter of said first word; said first set of letters comprising the first row of said matrix; the unused letters in said group being added to immediately succeeding letters in the fixed sequence of letters in said matrix to form another group of letters equal in number of the letters of said first set and from which a third word is formed extending from and including a letter of at least one of the previously formed words; the successive matrix letters in the fixed predetermined sequence of letters in said matrix being used for foRm successive letter groups in this manner from which group words are formed on said game board until no further words can be formed from the letters in the matrix, whereby a player of the game may calculate a total score by the addition of the score of the values of letters used and the bonus scores for letters placed in bonus boxes.

Claim 10

A solitaire word game comprising a fixed matrix of a plurality of alphabet letters arrayed in a fixed predetermined sequence, established prior to the play of the game and exposed to view throughout the game, said alphabet letters each being assigned a predetermined score value, and a game board having a plurality of letter boxes formed thereon, said letter boxes including a plurality of sets of bonus score boxes, at least one of said sets representing a multiple of the score of a letter placed in a box of the set and another of said sets representing a multiple of the sum of the letter scores of a word formed on said game board and having a letter thereof in one of its boxes, said matrix comprising a plurality of rows and columns of alphabet letters arrayed in said predetermined fixed sequence and having a plurality of sets of letters arranged in a predetermined sequence with each set of letters having the same number of letters therein, at least some of the letters in the first set in said matrix being used to form a first word on same game board with only one letter placed in any letter box and the unused letters in said first set being added to immediately succeeding letters in the fixed sequence of letters in the fixed matrix to form a group of letters equal in number to the letters of said first set and from which a second word is formed on said game board extending from and including a letter of said first word; said first set of letters comprising the first row of said matrix; the unused letters in said group being added to immediately succeeding letters in the fixed sequence of letters in said matrix to form another group of letters equal in number of the letters of said first set and from which a third word is formed extending from and including a letter of at least one of the previously formed words; the successive matrix letters in the fixed predetermined sequence of letters in said matrix being used for foRm successive letter groups in this manner from which group words are formed on said game board until no further words can be formed from the letters in the matrix, whereby a player of the game may calculate a total score by the addition of the score of the values of letters used and the bonus scores for letters placed in bonus boxes.

Claim 11

The solitaire word game as defined in claim 8 wherein said game board is square and said letter boxes are formed as a square grid on said board.

Claim 12

The solitaire word game as defined in claim 9 wherein said grid includes a letter square located at the center of the game board, which square is designated as the starting square on which at least one letter of said first word must be placed.

Claim 13

The solitaire word game as defined in claim 10 including four sets of bonus score boxes located in predetermined arrays in said play area, the first of said bonus score box sets representing triple word scores for any word including a letter located in one of the boxes of said set, the second set representing double word scores, the third set representing a triple letter score for any letter of a word placed in one of the boxes of said third set and the fourth set representing a double letter score.

Claim 14

The solitaire word game as defined in claim 11 including a plurality of unvalued reserve letters available for addition to any of said sets by the player for formation of a word.

Claim 15

The solitaire word game as defined in claim 12 wherein said reserve letters comprise one letter of each of the vowels, a, e, i, o, u.

Claim 16

The solitaire word game as defined in claim 11 wherein said matrix comprises a plurality of vertically aligned rows of letters arranged in a predetermined sequence, each of said rows including seven letters therein.

Claim 17

The solitaire word game as defined in claim 14 including a plurality of independent letter matrices each including a predetermined number of alphabet letters differently arrayed in fixed predetermined sequences, whereby a plurality of different games may be played on said play area.

Claim 18

The solitaire word game as defined in claim 8 wherein the score of any letters remaining in said matrix after no further word can be formed from the letters in the last group of letters formed from said matrix is deducted from said total score.