Method for a game

Claim 1

A method of playing a game for a plurality of competitors, using an apparatus having means defining a plurality of playing spaces in a grid shaped pattern and means defining a plurality of distinguishable sets of alphanumeric character-representing elements, each element dimensioned for placement within one of said playing spaces, so as to be useful for forming words within said grid shaped pattern, said method comprising: assigning one of said distinguishable sets of elements to each competitor for manipulation into words in achieving a level of accomplishment characterized by a score; executing a sequence of playing phases in which said competitors take turns at building words in said grid shaped pattern and then expanding said words into new words, said sequence of playing phases followed by a terminating scoring phase comprising determining a value for each scorable word depending on its structure, and determining each competitor's score by combining the values of only those scorable words which end in one of his elements and were not further expanded; said scorable words comprising all words which are used in determining any competitor's score.

Claim 2

A method of playing a game for a plurality of competitors, using an apparatus having means defining a plurality of playing spaces in a grid shaped pattern and means defining a plurality of distinguishable sets of alphanumeric character-representing elements, each element dimensioned for placement within one of said playing spaces, so as to be useful for forming words within said grid shaped pattern, said method comprising: assigning one of said distinguishable sets of elements to each competitor for manipulation into words in achieving a level of accomplishment characterized by a score; executing a sequence of playing phases in which said competitors take turns at building words in said grid shaped pattern and then expanding said words into new words, said sequence of playing phases followed by a terminating scoring phase comprising determining a value for each scorable word depending on its structure, and determining each competitor's score by combining the values of only those scorable words which end in one of his elements and were not further expanded; said scorable words comprising all words which are used in determining any competitor's score.

Claim 22

A method for manipulating alphanumeric character-representing elements by a player to achieve a level of accomplishment characterized by a score, said method comprising: providing a set of said alphanumeric character-representing elements and a substantially pyramid-shaped grid defining a word-building structure having a plurality of playing spaces each adapted to receive one of said elements; and building intersecting words in said structure by arranging a plurality of said elements in a corresponding plurality of playing spaces in the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions with respect to the base of said pyramidal structure, each word having a base scoring value determined by the structure of said built word.

Claim 23

A method for manipulating alphanumeric character-representing elements by a player to achieve a level of accomplishment characterized by a score, said method comprising: providing a set of said alphanumeric character-representing elements and a substantially pyramid-shaped grid defining a word-building structure having a plurality of playing spaces each adapted to receive one of said elements; and building intersecting words in said structure by arranging a plurality of said elements in a corresponding plurality of playing spaces in the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions with respect to the base of said pyramidal structure, each word having a base scoring value determined by the structure of said built word.

Claim 26

A method of playing a game for a plurality of competitors, using an apparatus having means defining a plurality of playing spaces in a grid shaped pattern and means defining a plurality of distinguishable sets of alphanumeric character-representing elements, each element dimensioned for placement within one of said playing spaces, so as to be useful for forming words within said grid shaped pattern, said method comprising: assigning one of said distinguishable sets of elements to each competitor for manipulation into words in achieving a level of accomplishment characterized by a score; executing a sequence of playing phases in which said competitors take turns at building words in said grid shaped pattern and then expanding said words into new words, said sequence of playing phases comprising executing at least one word-building phase, followed in sequence by at least one offensive phase, followed in sequence by at least one additional word-building phase; said word-building phases comprising at least one competitor manipulating elements from his respective set to build words in intersecting patterns of said elements until a predetermined first condition occurs, each of said built words having a scoring value depending on its structure; said offensive phase comprising at least said one competitor's opponent modifying at least one word previously built by said one competitor, said offensive phase continuing until a predetermined second condition occurs; said modifying of a word comprising a competitor's opponent placing at least one of his respective elements, defined as blocking elements, adjacent to a word built by the competitor so as to expand the same into a new word, defined as a modified word; said sequence of playing phases followed by a terminating scoring phase comprising determining each competitor's score by combining the values of all scorable words ending on one of said competitor's respective elements; said scorable words comprising all words used in determining any competitor's score, and not comprising words which intersect a modified word at a blocking element and do not end on said blocking element.

Claim 27

A method of playing a game for a plurality of competitors, using an apparatus having means defining a plurality of playing spaces in a grid shaped pattern and means defining a plurality of distinguishable sets of alphanumeric character-representing elements, each element dimensioned for placement within one of said playing spaces, so as to be useful for forming words within said grid shaped pattern, said method comprising: assigning one of said distinguishable sets of elements to each competitor for manipulation into words in achieving a level of accomplishment characterized by a score; executing a sequence of playing phases in which said competitors take turns at building words in said grid shaped pattern and then expanding said words into new words, said sequence of playing phases comprising executing at least one word-building phase, followed in sequence by at least one offensive phase, followed in sequence by at least one additional word-building phase; said word-building phases comprising at least one competitor manipulating elements from his respective set to build words in intersecting patterns of said elements until a predetermined first condition occurs, each of said built words having a scoring value depending on its structure; said offensive phase comprising at least said one competitor's opponent modifying at least one word previously built by said one competitor, said offensive phase continuing until a predetermined second condition occurs; said modifying of a word comprising a competitor's opponent placing at least one of his respective elements, defined as blocking elements, adjacent to a word built by the competitor so as to expand the same into a new word, defined as a modified word; said sequence of playing phases followed by a terminating scoring phase comprising determining each competitor's score by combining the values of all scorable words ending on one of said competitor's respective elements; said scorable words comprising all words used in determining any competitor's score, and not comprising words which intersect a modified word at a blocking element and do not end on said blocking element.