Abstract: An electronic word building machine including a keyboard to input a user determined set of letters, a set of words in memory, a comparison program to compare the input set of letters with the set of words in memory to provide a set of matching words from the set of words in memory, the set of matching words including words which consist only of a subset of letters from the input set of letters, a ranking program to provide a predetermined score for each of the words in the set of matching words, and a display to display on the machine each of the words in the sequence of the value of the score together with the score value of the word being displayed.

Abstract: Board games of global conquest include lighted and unlighted circular game boards having geopolitical maps of the globe thereon. Playing pieces of different types are provided for each player, with each type of playing piece having a different move pattern and limitations of moves on the board. At least one type of piece is never placed upon the board, but its position is known only to the player holding that piece. The object of the game is to form patterns of squares about various areas or nations of the board with the playing pieces, with a player successfully forming such a square being considered the conqueror of that nation or region. The conquering player must be able to identify the nation or region, and may receive simulated currency for correctly identifying the capitol and correctly answering other questions about the area.

Abstract: A substantially improved electronically controlled educational toy or game is achieved by providing animated indicia which is directly responsive to the input signals provided by the user. Preferably, the animated indicia comprises a distinctive character which produces animated movements of approval in response to questions being answered correctly, while producing a negative animated reaction to an incorrect answer. By providing this unique animated response in combination with audible and visual indicia, an educational toy and game is attained which creates added excitement and interest for children.

Abstract: An educational game comprising a game board having a closed loop of four legs, each containing eight spaces numbered from 1-4, tokens for each player, a pair of dice, and a plurality of cards, each of which have a word and four numbered statements instructing the player what to do with that word. A player rolls the dice, moves his token into a numbered space and the player to his left reads the card and the instruction having the number corresponding to the number of his space. If the player answers correctly, he takes another turn. The winner is the first player who gets his tokens completely around the loop.

Abstract: A transportation game comprised of a map showing cities interconnected by routes divided into segments of equal length, hometowns at which the players' trucks respectively start, contract cards indicating cities at which loads are to be picked up, cities to which they are to be delivered and the fees therefor, designations in respective segments: that a penalty card is to be drawn from a stack including cards having questions related to driving safety; that a reward card is to be drawn from a stack including cards indicating that money paid from fines into a truckers escrow account is to be received; that cards having questions of a general nature are to be drawn from a stack; that the truck is at a weigh station and a chance mechanism is to be operated to determine the penalty for overweight; that the truck is at a truck stop and that a chance mechanism is to be operated to determine the amount of money to be received and also including a chance mechanism.

Abstract: A board game in the general form of a circular pattern of native American symbols includes a matrix of like symbols in the center. Players toss a projectile at specific symbols in the board center, attempting to hit those symbols which match those along the periphery of the board which have been assigned to each player. Successful strikes are marked with an appropriate and distinctive marker. A player continues so long as he/she successfully hits the desired symbols, up to a maximum of six. The player is then randomly rewarded with symbol cards equal to the number of successful hits, which cards are turned face up. Those that match are placed upon the player's peripheral symbols, indicating that those have been acquired by the player and need not be acquired again. Other players may claim the first player's non-matching cards if those cards match their symbols. Other players may also challenge the first player with questions which must be answered successfully before the first player can win the game.

Abstract: Game playing apparatus includes a set of cards each bearing a descriptive synopsis of a potentially ambiguous or embarrassing situational dilemma involving sexual etiquette. Also provided are a set of role play cards each instructing the players to assume the sexual role indicated symbolically on the card and answer the current question accordingly. Players are dealt four or five dilemma cards each and the role play cars are placed accessibly between the players. Each player in turn reads aloud the situation described on a card and shares his or her opinion on how the dilemma should best be resolved. If the other players are in general agreement with the resolution, the round is over and the next player reads and responds to one of his or her situation cards. If one or more players differ with the resolution posed, the dealer calls for and moderates an open discussion on the merits of alternative solutions.

Abstract: A video game apparatus is provided for use in conjunction with a remotely controllable audio visual playback device, such as a video cassette player. The game apparatus comprises a learning remote control which is programmed with remote control signals such as pause and restart signals for the particular audio visual playback device with which it is to be used. A plurality of hand-held switches are coupled to the remote control so that when one of the switches is actuated the audio visual playback is paused. In this way, a plurality of players may play a prerecorded question and answer type quiz game, wherein the first player to actuate his or her hand-held switch is allowed time to answer the preceding question whilst the audio visual playback is paused.

Abstract: The invention is to a game lie detector that is not actuated by direct contact with the person being question, but by a party coordinator that actuates the lie detector arbitrarily and independent of the truthfulness of the answer to the question. A detector box includes a pad upon which the person being questioned places a hand. The detector box includes a receiver and out put devices that are actuated from signals from a remote control device concealed on the person who is the game coordinator.

Abstract: A board game includes a housing container to secure a foldable game board having first and second card groups to accommodate singles or team play. The game is directed to acquire property in four categories and to effect play until ultimate finish of the four categories and response to questions upon landing upon one of a plurality of "crown" spaces throughout the board is effected. The game further includes acquisition tokens shaped to correspond to the properties. Each acquisition token is illuminatable such that when a player acquires a property the corresponding acquisition token is illuminated to visually indicate acquisition of that property.

Abstract: Game apparatus in which a pawl and ratchet mechanism indexes a game card to bring successive game indicia to a viewing opening, said indicia comprising intelligible indicia interspersed with unintelligible indicia, said intelligible indicia being intelligible only when viewed through a colored filter in said opening, the game being played by teams of two players, one of whom views said indicia and gives the other player clues for identifying the information in the indicia.

Abstract: A home word bound board game is provided which consists of game boards, game pieces, decks of game cards and game sheets. The object of the game is for each player to score with game pieces on the respective game board, as many points possible by guessing words on the game cards, using synonyms and antonyms listed on the game cards. The first player after three rounds having the highest point score listed on the game sheet wins the game.

Abstract: A television game for entertaining viewers and maintaining viewership during television programs and commercials. In the illustrated embodiment, black spaces are detected at the ends of television program and commercial signals. Game clues are randomly inserted into the black spaces and displayed on viewers' televisions. At the end of the game, after multiple game clues have been revealed, the viewers report their answers to win prizes.

Abstract: An educational method and system for executing the method, to improve the efficiency of individual learning by monitoring the student's progress and pacing the course material to the student's ability to comprehend and learn. This method and system also reduces the teachers's administrative and paperwork burden. Interactive multimedia technology is combined with unique courseware development to provide a flexible teaching tool and student monitoring system.

Abstract: A board game arranged to educate and entertain children as to the merits, consequences, and opportunities in dialing assistance is provided. The board game includes a game path having game spaces to indicate selection of cards from various categories, whereupon the answering of such questions permits a player and associated token to proceed along a game path. A player to culminate the travel of the path is declared the winner.

Abstract: A preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to a question and answer game for stimulating interest in commercial publications. The question and answer game includes a news periodical having a plurality of sections. At least one question is formed integral with the news periodical. The question is formulated such that the answer is found in an actual article appearing in the news periodical. An answer form is also integral with the news periodical. The answer form includes a first section for recording the answer to the at least one question appearing in the news periodical. The answer form further includes a second section for recording the location where the answer was found.

Abstract: A game in the form of a parlor game, video game or television game for purposes of entertainment. The game comprises a plurality of distinct, arbitrarily selectable information units, each unit being divided into two independently viewable sub-units. The first sub-unit has a visual representation of a different, recognizable object and the second sub-unit is a visual representation of the identity of that object and questions and answers concerning that object. Means are provided for the selection of a particular question by the player and for accumulating the player's score based on proper answers to the questions. For the parlor game form of the game, the units comprise two-sided cards, the first side displaying a photograph of an object and the second side the identity of the object and a plurality of questions concerning the object and answers to those questions.

Abstract: Memory-oriented or pattern matching games use game pieces having indicia which become excited responsive to a brief exposure to strong light or another activating event for emitting colored light during a short period of time. The games use the excitable indicating medium to present certain information to the players for a short time period. Thereafter, the players are required to use their memory of the temporarily-presented information in order to accomplish some task. In some embodiments, the games present a random arrangement of color-coding which soon becomes invisible after the excitement subsides. Then, the players must use their memory of the game piece locations to select only those pieces which are assigned to them. In another embodiment of the invention, a maze is printed in excitable ink which is visible only during the short time period of excitement. The players must try to complete the maze before the pattern, or their memory of it, dissipates.

Abstract: Two decks of cards are employed in an enjoyable sports trivia and memorabilia game which stimulates a player's ability to recall players on famous sports teams. The first deck of cards is composed of cards having a number printed on one side. The second deck of cards is composed of cards having a team name and year printed on the first side and a list of the team players and their corresponding numbers printed on the reverse side. The object of the game is to match the number on the card drawn from the first deck with the player on the team listed on the card from the second deck. A correct match of a player and number scores a point, a game board and tokens may be used to keep score by covering the position of the player who corresponds to the correctly matched player and number.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for achieving automated evaluation and oring of a participant's response to questions selected pseudo-randomly. A plurality of questions are available for each of a plurality of categories, in a question file. For each question there is an answer in an answer file. The answer includes characters preselected to denote a tolerance that permits a partially correct answer automatically to be credited to the participant's point total. A perfect answer is worth a predetermined full-credit value that is the same for each question; and, a partially correct answer that is within the tolerance for that question, is worth a predetermined fraction of the full-credit value. Pseudo-random selection of the questions from the question file is performed by a number generator that is seeded from the system's clock with the time of day that the system is activated.

Abstract: A game played for entertainment or educational purposes in which a series of clues are revealed to the contestants one at a time, and from these clues, the contestants attempt to correctly guess a predetermined answer associated with a given series of clues. One person serves to control the play of the game and directs the contestants to apply certain specified cognitive skills to the identified clues to assist them in reaching the predetermined answer. The first contestant to identify the correct answer wins the round. The game may be played in multiple rounds with different systems to determine the winner of the game. The invention includes the method of playing the described game.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a card game intended to develop the knowledge and associate skills of the player. The game is made up of a plurality of cards with a first portion having an illustration covered and concealed by a material that can be removed by scratching and a second portion having a plurality of descriptive identifiers one of which has a concealed indicator which identifies it as explaining the illustration on the first portion. The removable material is demarcated into a plurality of smaller areas so that the player removes the concealing material gradually to reveal the illustration. When the player believes he knows what the illustration is, he tries to locate the correct identifier on the second portion of the card by removing the material covering the correct indicator.

Abstract: Apparatus for playing a game comprises clue means (C) for progressively revealing a clue as to a mystery entity to players in the course of the game. The clue means (C) is provided with a plurality of mask segments which, initially at least substantially conceal the clue but which, in the course of the game may be removed (or the like) so as progressivley to reveal the clue. A selection of information carrying articles are collected by the players in the course of the game, and are such that, for a given mystery article, there is an element of chance as to whether a particular information carrying entity will relate correctly to the mystery entity uncovered.

Abstract: By providing an interactive communication system whereby individuals are able to electronically select at least one possible outcome of a plurality of outcomes of a future event, individuals are able to participate in the outcome of that event and possibly share in a prize award associated with the event. In the preferred embodiment, individuals forming the home audience of a televized game show are able to electronically communicate a series of random numbers using their telephone to participate in possibly winning the prize awards of the show. In addition, both on-camera game participants and the studio audience also participate and have the ability to win prizes.

Abstract: A board game including a planar board surface, with a perimeter path defined by forty spaces. Each of the spaces corresponds to one of the forty terms of the Presidents, from George Washington through Ronald Reagan, inclusively. A die indicates travel of each player about the path of spaces, with a landing upon a space requiring answering of a question associated with that President, whereupon a correct response results in award of points, and wherein the points are awarded based on the Presidential term in office. Each player is afforded a turn, and a player to achieve a predetermined score is declared a winner.