The present application is based on and a claim to priority is made under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) to currently pending provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/932,453, having a filing date of May 31, 2007, and Ser. No. 60/900,795, having a filing date of Feb. 9, 2007.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a linking puzzle game and method of play. The linking puzzle game may include at least one playing surface having at least one or a plurality of puzzle areas disposed thereon. In addition, the linking puzzle game may include a plurality of base zones disposed in a predetermined interconnecting relation, and associated with at least one indicia. For example, a plurality of game pieces having predetermined indicia may be disposed in an at least partially overlying relation with the base zones. Further, the linking puzzle game may also include at least one or a plurality of action pieces each having predetermined indicia disposed thereon corresponding to an objective goal which is reached by adding or performing another mathematical operation on the indicia of game pieces disposed on appropriate ones of interconnected base zones.
2. Description of the Related Art
Playing games and puzzles have been a part of social, mental, and educational development for many years. Several games and puzzles are designed or recommended only for specific age groups. In addition, many games and/or puzzles are strictly designed for educational purposes, entertainment purposes, or competitive purposes.
As such, there is a current need in the art of games and puzzles for a new linking puzzle game and method structured and designed for any and all age groups. Further, the proposed linking game puzzle may be utilized by one or more players at a time for entertainment, educational, health, and/or competitive purposes.
Moreover, the proposed linking puzzle game may improve and/or accentuate an individual's ability to mentally focus and concentrate, whether it be on the particular proposed game itself or in general. The proposed game may further be utilized to promote, improve, and/or advance educational, personal, familial, and/or societal development.
The proposed linking puzzle game may include a playing surface and at least one or a plurality of puzzle areas disposed thereon. The puzzle areas may further include a plurality of interconnected base zones. The base zones may be cooperatively structured such that a plurality of game pieces may be disposed, preferably randomly, in at least partially overlying relation thereto.
Further, the base zones and/or the game pieces of the proposed linking puzzle game may include predetermined indicia disposed thereon, such as numbered indicia. As such, it would be beneficial if the players focused and concentrated on the proposed game and identified certain connected links of game pieces and/or base zones which correspond to a specified objective goal, such as, for example, a summation, multiplication, subtraction, or division value.
The present invention is related to a linking puzzle game that may be played by one or more players of any and all age groups. Moreover, the linking puzzle game of the present invention may involve great spans of concentration and focus, and in at least one embodiment may typically involve mathematical development. More in particular, the puzzle game of the present invention may develop and/or increase the players' mental ability to quickly and accurately perform mathematical computations.
Moreover, the linking puzzle game of at least one embodiment of the present invention includes a playing surface having at least one or a plurality of puzzle areas disposed thereon. The one or more playing surfaces of at least one embodiment may comprise a game board having a generally flat configuration and be formed of an appropriate durable material. However, the playing surface is not limited to any specific dimensions. For example, the playing surface of the present invention may be at least partially elevated and/or resemble a cone-like configuration. In addition, the playing surface may be constructed of wood, plastic, paper, cardboard, marble, stone, or any other material. It is also contemplated that the linking puzzle game of the present invention be compatible with and/or played on electronic devices such as computers, game consoles, cellular telephones, or any other similar device.
Additionally, in at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the puzzle areas include a plurality of base zones disposed in a predetermined interconnecting relation. As such, each of the one or more puzzle areas include a plurality of connectors disposing the plurality of base zones in an interconnecting relation. The connectors may simply include drawn or etched lines, or the connectors may include protruding objects or any other structure operatively interconnecting proximate base zones.
Further, at least one embodiment of the linking puzzle game of the present invention further includes a plurality of game pieces preferably bearing predetermined indicia thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the predetermined indicia on the game pieces may include numbered indicia, however, many variations may be contemplated, including but not limited to philosophers, musicians, letter, alpha-numeric characters, etc. The game pieces may include a flattened cylindrical structure such as a casino chip. In addition, in the embodiment wherein the linking puzzle game is correspondingly played in a digital and/or electronic environment, the game pieces may simply include digital numbers, digits, words, characters, and/or pictures.
In addition, the linking puzzle game of the present invention may include one, but more practically a plurality of action pieces bearing predetermined indicia thereon. Similar to the game pieces, the action pieces may include an at least partially flattened cylindrical structure, much like a casino chip. Additionally, the action pieces may be any similar structure such as a card, cube, dice, and/or ball or spherical structure. In at least one preferred embodiment, the predetermined indicia on the action pieces include numbered indicia corresponding to an objective goal, as will be described in detail below.
Moreover, at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes at least one or a plurality of operable devices structured to at least partially resemble the puzzle area(s). The operable devices may be written on, and may include, for example, a sheet of paper, cardboard, chalk-board, dry-erase board, or any other similar structure or device. Furthermore, the operable devices may include push buttons or other like devices. Moreover, in at least one embodiment, the operable device(s) are structured and configured to at least partially overlay one or more puzzle areas. In addition, in at least the digital and/or electronic embodiment, the operable device may include a digital rendition or electronic variation of a sheet of paper, cardboard, chalk-board, or dry-erase board as described herein, which as above, may be compatible with and/or used on virtually any computer, game console, cellular telephone, Personal Digital Assistant, etc. More in particular, as will be described in detail below, the operable device(s) may include a digital replica of the puzzle areas designed to allow the player to indicate a connected link thereon. As such, at least in the electronic medium, the operable device(s) may be the playing surface itself whereby the player can highlight, select, mark, or otherwise indicate the connected link directly on the base zones.
Additionally, the present invention includes a method of playing a linking puzzle game. More in particular, at least one preferred method of playing the game includes associating at least one indicia with the base zones, which in at least one embodiment includes orienting a plurality of game pieces into an at least partially overlying relation thereto. In addition, the method may further include the step of selecting or identifying an objective goal, such as a numerical value, and indicating a connected link, which may include game pieces and/or base zones corresponding to the objective goal. More in particular, the objective goal may be, for example, to identify a connected link of game pieces disposed on the puzzle area(s), or indicia associated with the base zones, which add up to a particular numerical value, or are otherwise associated with the selected or identified objective goal. The connected link may include any number of game pieces and/or base zones, and may either be a straight line, a curved or angled line, or any combination thereof.
As above, the linking puzzle game of the present invention may be operated in a digital electronic medium, and thus be played on a computer, game console, cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, etc. In addition, it is contemplated that the linking puzzle game may be played in a game show environment, such as, for example, a television game show.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.
