US20220339529A1

US20220339529A1 - Multi-dimensional word spelling board game

Info

Publication number: US20220339529A1
Application number: US17/237,063
Authority: US
Inventors: Jon L. Keener
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-04-22
Filing date: 2021-04-22
Publication date: 2022-10-27

Abstract

A multi-dimensional word spelling game includes game pieces formed as stackable hexagonal letter tiles with letters and point values printed thereon and configured to be placed together to forms words in at least vertical (up/down), downward, upward and stacked relation to each other on a gaming surface. Tiles can include a notch on their top surface and a bump on their bottom surface that is complimentary in size and location to the notch formed on the top surface of each tile. Bump can rest in trenches as words are being spelled by stacking tiles on a gaming surface. The gaming surface can be a gameboard formed in a honeycomb layout of hexagon-shaped interconnected spaces that enable game pieces to be positioned next to each other. Spaces can include a notch for receiving bumps formed on the bottom surface of stackable hexagonal letter tiles that are placed to rest on the gameboard.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to board games used for entertainment. More particularly, the embodiments relate to a multi-dimensional board game that enables participants to spell words in multiple directions and dimensions.

BACKGROUND

Board games with a view toward increasing the mental challenge of solving puzzles have remained popular. There have previously been devised games and puzzles in which pieces of a predetermined shape have been movable or assembled in two or even three dimensions and into a variety of spatial relationships with respect to each other.
Existing puzzles include the “Rubik's Cube” which while challenging is inordinately complex both in concept and physical manufacture. On the other end of the scale with respect to shifting piece puzzles, the well-known planar array of fifteen slidable squares in a four by four matrix pattern provides a challenge that is far more readily solved than when effecting solution of a position problem in a three-dimensional environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,518,889, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, is an example of a two tier puzzle in which the faces of the individual cubes are printed or impressed with letters and numerals. The cubes must be arranged in such a manner that it is possible to spell certain words and make certain numerical arrangements. The invention relates to a system of form bodies for use as toy building blocks, decorative objects, in particular for display use, furniture structures, sculptural building components, etc., in which each form has the shape of a polyhedron, in which polygonal side faces with each other form polyhedral outward extending protuberances and/or polyhedral inward extending recesses for assembling differently shaped bodies into spatial structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,105, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, is an example of a three-dimensional word construction game of Scrabble that includes a plurality of three-dimensional games pieces with letters and a plurality of connectors. Connectors align the pieces, and letters are used to form words along any one of three orthogonal axes or any diagonal combination of the three orthogonal axes.
While the prior art includes puzzles that are multi-dimensional, these puzzles have simply-shaped components (i.e., box or square) and limit the directions in which words can be spelled. There continues to be a need for new games and games improvements for human entertainment.

SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS

The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the features of the disclosed embodiments and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be gained by taking the specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.
The multi-dimensional word spelling board game described herein can also be referred to as “The Spelling Beehive” because of the honeycomb shape that can be used for its game pieces and gameboard. It is a feature of the multi-dimensional word spelling board game described and claimed herein to enable game participants to build (“spell”) words and score points.
In accordance with a feature of the embodiments, words can be spelled (“built”) using stackable hexagonal letter tiles that can be placed in multiple dimensions on a special honeycombed gameboard. The multiple dimensions in which tiles can be placed to spell words include: vertical (e.g., Up, Down), Upward at 30-degree angle, Downward at 30-degree angle, and by stacking hexagonal letter tiles on top of existing hexagonal letter tiles. Players score points for the words they make.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, stackable hexagonal letter tiles can be provided in a hexagon shape wherein six sides of the tile can be placed next to sides of other hexagon shaped sides to spell words using letters that are imprinted on the top surface of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles. Words can be spelled in vertical (e.g., Up, Down), upward, downward and stackable directions from using surface of each stackable hexagonal letter tiles. Words in the upwardly and downwardly direction will be formed in a 30-degree angle from a level cross section of each tile given the hexagon shape that four sides of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles provides.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles can include a notch on their top surface and a bump on their bottom surface that is complimentary to the notch formed in each of stackable hexagonal letter tiles. During use, the bump on the bottom surface of a first tile being stacked on second tile can rest in the trench formed on the surface of the second tile as words are being spelled from bottom to top on a gaming surface (e.g., a gameboard).
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles can include printing of letters and point values on any of the six side surfaces of the hexagon letter tiles. Letters and point assignment can thereby be viewed from multiple perspectives by other players during gameplay.
In accordance with yet another feature of the embodiments, a gameboard can be included that includes a pattern of hexagon-shaped interconnected spaces. Each space can accept a stackable hexagonal letter tiles. Each space can include a notch for receiving bumps from each of the hexagonal letter tiles that are placed to rest on the gameboard during gameplay. As with each notch formed in each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles, the notches formed on each space assure that the hexagonal letter tiles as game pieces can stay firmly stacked during gameplay.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, tile racks can be provided for each player of a game to arrange their game pieces as they contemplate word spelling during gameplay.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, players can receive additional bonuses based on markings that can be provided on the gameboard. For example, bonuses can include: The Flower Power Bonus—doubles the value of a word or words. The Stacking Bonus—the stacking of tiles offers a multiplicative bonus. The Pollination Bonus—additional when a B or Q letter tile lands on a Flower. Bonuses are explained later under How to Keep Score.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, one hundred letter tiles can be included in a game set. The tiles and letter written thereon can have values distributed as follows:

- 0 points each: [BLANK]×2
- 1 point each: E×11, A×9, D×4, G×3, I×9, O×8, N×6, R×6, T×6, L×4, S×4, U×4
- 2 points each: B×3, C×2, F×2, H×2, M×2, P×2, V×2, W×2, Y×2
- 3 points each: K×1
- 4 points each: J×1, and X×1
- 5 points each: Q×1, and Z×1

In accordance with yet another feature of the embodiments, the multi-dimensional word board game described herein can be embodied in an electronic online format wherein players can remotely access the game over a data network from a server where it is hosted and play it alone or with other remote players.
These and other aspects of the embodiments will become more apparent in light of the detailed specification and drawings that follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 1A illustrates a top surface perspective of a stackable hexagonal letter tile, which can be implemented in accordance with the embodiments.

FIG. 1B illustrates a side perspective of the stackable hexagonal letter tile illustrated in FIG. 1A, which can be implemented in accordance with the embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a plurality of stackable hexagonal letter tiles placed next to each other to form words, in accordance with the embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of a plurality of stackable hexagonal letter tiles placed on top of each other to form words, in accordance with an aspect of the embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a plurality of stackable hexagonal letter tiles placed on top of each other to form words, in accordance with an aspect of the embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top surface of a gameboard in a honeycomb layout on which a plurality of stackable hexagonal letter tiles can be placed to form words, in accordance with an aspect of the embodiments.

FIGS. 5-15 illustrate a series of photographs exemplifying a game in progress between three players using game pieces and a gameboard in accordance with features of the embodiments.

FIG. 16 illustrates a network diagram for a system that can support remote electronic access to a multi-dimensional word board game as described herein that can be embodied in an electronic online format wherein players can remotely access the game over a data network from a server where it is hosted and play it alone or with other remote players.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The particular values and configurations discussed in these non-limiting examples can be varied and are cited merely to illustrate one or more embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope thereof.
Subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific example embodiments. Subject matter may, however, be embodied in a variety of different forms and, therefore, covered or claimed subject matter is intended to be construed as not being limited to any example embodiments set forth herein; example embodiments are provided merely to be illustrative. Likewise, a reasonably broad scope for claimed or covered subject matter is intended. Among other issues, subject matter may be embodied as methods, devices, components, or systems. Accordingly, embodiments may, for example, take the form of hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. The following detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be interpreted in a limiting sense.
In accordance with a feature of the embodiments, words can be spelled using stackable hexagonal letter tiles that can be placed in multiple dimensions on a special honeycombed gameboard. The multiple dimensions in which tiles can be placed to spell words include: vertical (e.g., Up, Down), Upward at 30-degree angle, Downward at 30-degree angle, and by stacking hexagonal letter tiles on top of existing hexagonal letter tiles. Players score points for the words they make.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, stackable hexagonal letter tiles can be provided in a hexagon shape wherein six sides of the tile can be placed next to sides of other hexagon shaped times to spell words using letters that are imprinted on the top surface of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles. Words can be spelled in vertical (e.g., Up, Down), upward, downward and stackable directions from using surface of each stackable hexagonal letter tiles. Words in the upwardly and downwardly direction will be formed in a 30-degree angle from a level cross section of each tile given the hexagon shape that four sides of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles provides.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles can include a notch on their top surface and a bump on their bottom surface that is complimentary to the notch formed in each of stackable hexagonal letter tiles. During use, the bump on the bottom surface of a first tile being stacked on second tile can rest in the trench formed on the surface of the second tile as words are being spelled from bottom to top on a gaming surface (e.g., a gameboard).
In accordance with another feature of the embodiments, each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles can include printing of letters and point values on any of the six side surfaces of the hexagon letter tiles. Letters and point assignment can thereby be viewed from multiple perspectives by other players during gameplay.
In accordance with yet another feature of the embodiments, a gameboard can be included that includes a pattern of hexagon-shaped interconnected spaces. Each space can accept a stackable hexagonal letter tiles. Each space can include a notch for receiving bumps from each of the hexagonal letter tiles that are placed to rest on the gameboard during gameplay. As with each notch formed in each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles, the notches formed on each space assure that the hexagonal letter tiles as game pieces can stay firmly stacked during gameplay.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiment, tile racks can be provided for each player of a game to arrange their game pieces as they contemplate word spelling during gameplay.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiment, players can receive additional bonuses based on markings that can be provided on the gameboard. For example, bonuses can include: The Flower Power Bonus—doubles the value of a word or words. The Stacking Bonus—the stacking of tiles offers a multiplicative bonus. The Pollination Bonus—additional when a B or Q letter tile lands on a Flower. Bonuses are explained later under How to Keep Score.
In accordance with another feature of the embodiment, one hundred letter tiles can be included in a game set. The tiles and letter written thereon can have values distributed as follows:

- 0 points each: [BLANK]×2
- 1 point each: E×11, A×9, D×4, G×3, I×9, O×8, N×6, R×6, T×6, L×4, S×4, U×4
- 2 points each: B×3, C×2, F×2, H×2, M×2, P×2, V×2, W×2, Y×2
- 3 points each: K×1
- 4 points each: J×1, and X×1
- 5 points each: Q×1, and Z×1
  The Q tile and the 3 B tiles can also be shown as the Queen Bee and as Honeybees, respectively. Once played, these tiles cannot be stacked upon. In addition: The “Q” Queen Bee tile can represent either: the single letter “Q”, or the combination of 2 letters “QU”. Furthermore, a “B” Honeybee tile can represent either: a single letter “B”, or the combination of 2 letters “BE”.

With this point system in mind, what follows will be an example of how a game can be played using aspects of the embodiments as described hereinbefore.

Before You Begin

The players should choose and agree upon a dictionary that they will use, in case of a word challenge. All words labeled as a part of speech (including those listed of foreign origin, and as archaic, obsolete, colloquial, slang, etc.) are permitted, except for the following:

- words always capitalized
- abbreviations
- prefixes and suffixes standing alone
- words requiring a hyphen or an apostrophe
- one-letter words

The dictionary may only be used to settle word challenges.

Game Play—Starting the Game

Place all letters tiles in the letter bag, or face down beside the board, and mix them up. All players draw one tile to see who plays first. The player with the letter closest to “A” plays first. A blank tile beats any letter tile. Return the letter tiles to the pool and remix. All players draw 6 new tiles and place them on their racks and the game begins.
The first player combines two or more letter tiles from his or her rack to form a single word and places it on the board. The only requirement is that this first word must either begin or end on one of the perimeter Flower spaces and be two letters or more. The first word played in The Spelling Beehive will always receive a Flower Power Bonus.
As with all Player turns, the Player completes his or her turn by:

- Announcing the word or words made for that turn.
- Calculating the score earned for the word or words made for that turn.
- Drawing new letter tile(s) for a combined total of 6 letter tiles.

Game play continues clockwise around the game board. The second player uses one or more letter tiles to form one or more words on the game board. As with all letter tile plays, every letter tile must be played in a single direction, and all of them must be contiguous, or touch, disregarding stacking.
The second player announces his or her word(s), calculates his or her score, and draws replacement letter tiles. Play then continues clockwise around the game board with the next player.
Game play continues in this fashion until: Any Player has played their last letter tile, and there are none left to draw, or all Players have Passed their turns in consecutive order.

Scoring

In the Spelling Beehive, words can be made in multiple directions. The present example will describe the game using 4 dimensions as follows:

- 1. UPWARD (left-to-right upward at 30°)
- 2. DOWNWARD (left-to-right downward at 30°)
- 3. VERTICAL (straight up/down at 90°), and by
- 4. STACKING letter tiles on top of existing letter tiles.
  The first word played in the game must begin or end with one letter on a perimeter Flower space, with all other letters of the word on the perimeter of the game board. Because the first word is played on a Flower space, the first word played in The Spelling Beehive will always receive the Flower Power double-word Bonus.

There can be 3 standard bonuses in The Spelling Beehive:
The Flower Power Bonus: The flower hexagonal spaces are double-word bonuses. The point value of any new word built upon a flower space is first calculated, and then doubled.
The Stacking Bonus: Whenever words are created using stacking, the point value of any letter in the new word is doubled if stacked 2 high, tripled if stacked 3 high, quadrupled if stacked 4 high, quintupled if stacked 5 high, and sextupled if stacked 6 high. The highest a player may stack letters in the game is 6 levels high.
The Pollination Bonus: Whenever a Bee letter tile (3 B Honeybees or 1 Q Queen bee) is played on a Flower space the player receives an additional 10 points.
Complete your turn by counting and announcing your score for that turn. Then draw your replacement letter tiles, always keeping six tiles in your rack, provided there are enough tiles left to draw. Play passes clockwise to the left. The second player, and then each in turn, either adds one or more letters to those already played to form new words, or creates a new word on one of the remaining open perimeter Flower spaces with all letters of the new word on the perimeter of the game board.
All letters played in a turn must be placed in one direction (either UPWARD, or DOWNWARD, or DOWN), to form at least one new word, and all of them must be contiguous, or touch, disregarding stacking. Players are not allowed to stack the same letter on top of an existing letter.
New words may be formed by: No letter tile may be shifted or replaced after it has been played and scored. However, subsequent play may Stack letter tiles upon those previously played.

- A new word may always be created on the perimeter of the board when there is an available perimeter Flower.
- Adding one or more letters to a word already on the board.
- Stacking one or more letters on top of a word already on the board.
- Adding and stacking one or more letters to a word already on the board.
  If every new word made in a turn is valid, those words are scored. If any word made in a turn is found to be invalid the entire turn is invalid. An invalid turn may be replayed.

There are two exceptions to remember for Stacking: Players cannot Stack the same letter tile on top of an existing letter tile. Players cannot Stack on top of the Bee letter tiles (the “Q” tile or the 3 “B” tiles).
Blanks: The two blank tiles can be used as any single letter. The blank tiles may not represent the special multiple letter tiles “BE” or “QU” as the Bee letter tiles may. The blank tiles may not be used to score the Pollination Bonus. When playing a blank tile, you must state which single letter the blank represents, and it remains that letter for the rest of the game.

Exchange

You may use any turn to exchange some or all of yours letters. To do this, place your discarded letter(s) facedown. Draw the same number of letters from the pool, then mix your discarded letter(s) back into the pool. This ends your turn.

Challenges

All new words created by any Player are subject to challenge by the other players. If any new word is found to be inaccurate by challenge, the player takes back all played tiles but may play again.
If the play challenged is acceptable, the challenger does not lose his or her next turn. Consult the dictionary for challenges only. All words made in one play are challenged simultaneously. If any word is unacceptable, then the entire play is unacceptable.
The game ends when all letters have been drawn and one player uses his or her last letter tile, or when all Players have passed consecutively.

How to Keep Score

Use a score pad or piece of paper to keep a tally of each player's score, entering it after each turn. The score keeper may optionally choose to record the words created. The score value of each letter is indicated by a subscripted number at the bottom of the tile. The score value of a blank tile is zero.
The point value of any new word is first the sum of its constituent letters and their individual Stacking Bonuses, then the applied Flower Power Bonus (if applicable), and lastly the additional Pollination Bonus (if applicable).

The Flower Power Bonus

The Flower spaces on the perimeter of the board and in the center of the board are double-word bonuses. The point value of any new word built upon a Flower space is first calculated, and then doubled. A blank letter tile may be used in a Flower Power Bonus word.

The Stacking Bonus

The Stacking of tiles offers a multiplicative Bonus. Letter tiles on the game board itself have their original value. Letter tiles stacked 2 high have double their original value. Letter tiles stacked 3 high have triple their original value, and so forth.
Letter tiles cannot be stacked over 6 tiles high in the Spelling Beehive. Any letter tile stacked 6 high will have 6 times its original value. Blank letter tiles may be used in a Stacking Bonus word.

The Pollination Bonus

Whenever a Bee letter tile (“Q” or “B”) is played on a Flower space the Player receives an additional 10 points. This is in addition to any other bonuses received, but not part of them. A blank letter tile cannot be used to represent a “Q” or a “B” tile to earn a Pollination Bonus.

Example Game Play

Referring to FIG. 5, a photograph 300 of a Spelling Beehive game board is illustrated as an 8×8×8 honeycombed surface on which the Players create and score their words. There are 7 double-word Flower spaces on the board, six on the perimeter and one in the center. In the game play demonstration as illustrated, Player #1 has won the draw and plays 5 hexagon letter tiles to create the first word 302 of the new game—the word “BROWN” in the DOWNWARD direction from the top of the board. Player #1 can typically announce his word(s) for the turn and their score. According to the example letter value provided above, “BROWN” is worth 7, the Flower Power Bonus 304 can double that to 14, and the Pollination Bonus can add another 10 points—for a total of 24 points, as shown in FIG. 5. Player #1 draws 5 new letter tiles and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 400 of FIG. 6, Player #2 plays 3 letter tiles and creates 2 new words—“DEER” 306 in the UPWARD direction and “BE” 304 in the DOWN direction. Player #2 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—“DEER” is worth 4 points, and “BE” is worth 3 points—for a total of 7 points. Player #2 draws 3 new letter tiles and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 500 of FIG. 7, Player #3 plays 3 letter tiles to create 1 new word—BROWNING in the DOWNWARD direction—by adding the letters “ING” 310 to an existing word “BROWN” that was spelled by Player #1. Player #3 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—“BROWNING” is worth 10 points and it can be doubled by a Flower Power Bonus—for a total of 20 points. Player #3 draws 3 new letter tiles and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 600 of FIG. 8, Player #1 plays 2 letter tiles and makes 3 new words—“DEAR” 307 in the UPWARD direction (by stacking letter “A” 310 on top of the letter “E” that was previously in that position), “ED” 311 in the DOWNWARD direction by placing letter “D” 312 beneath the “A”, and also “BAD” 309 in the DOWN direction with the addition of letter “D” counting in two places. Player #1 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—“DEAR” is worth 5 points, “BAD” is worth 5 points, and “ED” is worth 2 points—for a total of 12 points. Note, the “A” letter tile used in both DEAR and BAD can receive a Stacking Bonus value of 2 because its value is 1 and it is stacked 2 letter tiles high, 1×2=2. Player #1 draws 2 new letter tiles and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 700 of FIG. 9, Player #2 plays 5 letter tiles and makes 2 new words for his turn—“ARENA” 308 in the UPWARD direction and “AD” 313 in the DOWNWARD direction. Player #2 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—the word “ARENA” is worth 5, which the Flower Power Bonus doubles to 10 points, and “AD” is worth 2—for a total of 12 points. Player #2 draws 5 new letter tiles and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 800 of FIG. 10, Player #3 plays an “E” letter tile 314 (by sacking it over the letter “A” tile previously in position) and makes 2 words for his turn—“DEER” 315 in the UPWARD direction and “BED” 317 in the DOWN direction. Player #3 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—“DEER” is worth 6 points, and “BED” is also worth 6 points—for a total of 12 points. Note: The “E” letter tile used in both “DEER” and “BED” can receive a Stacking Bonus value of 3 because its value is 1 and it is stacked 3 letter tiles high, 1×3=3. Player #3 draws 1 new letter tile and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 900 of FIG. 11, Player #1 plays an “A” letter tile 316 (by stacking the letter “A” on top of the letter “E” that was previously in that position) and makes 2 words for his turn—“DEAR” 319 in the UPWARD direction and “BAD” 321 in the DOWN direction. Player #1 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—“DEAR” is worth 7 points and “BAD” is also worth 7 points—for a total of 14 points, as shown in FIG. 8. It can be noted that the “A” letter tile is used in both DEAR and BAD and can receive a Stacking Bonus value of 4 because its value is 1 and it is stacked 4 letter tiles high, 1×4=4. It should also be noted that the letter “A” 316 is now the fourth letter stacked in this location during the game thus far. Player #1 draws 1 new letter tile and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 1000 of FIG. 12, Player #2 plays 4 letter tiles and a Blank tile 318, specifying the Blank letter tile 318 as a letter “D” to make the word “ADVENT” 323 in the DOWN direction. Player #2 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—the word “ADVENT” is worth 6. Player #2 draws 5 new letter tiles and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 1100 of FIG. 13, Player #3 plays 4 letter tiles to make two new words—TORQUE 323 in the UPWARD direction and “NO” 325 in the DOWNWARD direction. In this case, Player #3 specifies that the Queen Bee letter tile represents the two letters “QU”. Player #3 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—“TORQUE” is worth 9 points and “NO” is worth 2 points—for a total of 11 points. Player #3 draws 4 new letter tiles and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 1200 of FIG. 14, Player #1 plays an “A” letter 320 tile and makes 2 words for his turn—“DEAR” 327 in the UPWARD direction and “BAD” 329 in the DOWN direction. Player #1 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—“DEAR” is worth 8 points and “BAD” is also worth 8 points—for a total of 16 points. It should be noted that the “A” letter tile used in both DEER and BED receives a Stacking Bonus value of 5 because its value is 1 and it is stacked 5 letter tiles high in that location since the beginning of gameplay, 1×5=5. Player #1 draws 1 new letter tile and his turn ends.
Next, as illustrated in the photograph 1300 of FIG. 15, Player #2 plays 4 letter tiles to make two new words—“TORQUES” 331 in the UPWARD direction and “SAFE” 333 in the DOWNWARD direction. Player #3 announces his word(s) for the turn and their score—“TORQUES” is worth 10 points and “SAFE” is worth 10 points because of the Flower Power Bonus—for a total of 20 points. Game play continues in this fashion until either: A Player has played their last letter tile, and there are none left to draw, or, All Players have Passed their turns in consecutive order.

The End of the Game

When the game ends, each player can count the points that remain on their un-played letter tiles. This amount can be deducted from their final scores. The player with the highest score wins the game. In the case of a tie, the player with the highest score before deducting for any un-played letter tiles wins.

Optional Swarm Bonus

If all players agree to this optional Bonus, then when all six of a player's tiles are played in a single turn, that Player receives an additional Swarm Bonus of 25 points. The Swarm Bonus is in addition to that turn's overall score, just like the Pollination Bonus.

Remote Electronic Game Access

FIG. 16 illustrates a network diagram 400 for a system that can support remote electronic access to a virtual multi-dimensional word spelling board game as described herein. The Virtual game 410 can be stored in a server 415 and can be accessed over a data network 450 from remote devices 420/425. The virtual game 410 can be embodied in an electronic online format wherein players using remote device 420/425 can remotely access the game over the data network 450 from the server 415 where it is hosted, and remote players can either play the virtual game alone or with other remote players. Player scores and performance histories can be kept by the remote server 415. A remote presentation of “The Spelling Beehive” can present three-dimensional expressions of the game in video on a display 430 screen of the remote devices 420/425 the multiple dimensions in which tiles can be placed to spell words include: vertical (e.g., Up, Down), Upward at 30-degree angle, Downward at 30-degree angle, and by stacking hexagonal letter tiles on top of existing hexagonal letter tiles, as described above.
FIG. 16 depicts a schematic diagram illustrating a general hardware configuration of remote devices 420/425, which can be implemented in accordance with an embodiment. Electronic wireless hand held multimedia devices such as desktop computers, laptop computers, smartphones, and electronic tablets with data network communications capabilities are capable of carrying out a variety of functionalities. They can include radio frequency (RF) wireless transceivers configured, for example, to support bi-directional data communications with remote data resources, such as server 415, over cellular telecommunications networks, which can be represented by data network 450. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that a variety of possible wireless communications and networking configurations can be utilized to implement data network 450, as shown in FIG. 16. Data network 450 can be, for example, implemented according to a variety of wireless protocols, including cellular (e.g., GSM, CDMA, etc., Bluetooth, and WiFi communications.
It will be appreciated that variations of the above-disclosed embodiments and examples and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. It will also be appreciated that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-dimensional word spelling game, comprising a plurality of game pieces formed as stackable hexagonal letter tiles with a top surface, a bottom surface, and six side surfaces, and configured to be placed together to forms words in at least vertical, downward, upward and stacked relation to each other on a gaming surface.

2. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 1, wherein multiple dimensions in which game pieces can be placed to spell words include: vertical, Upward at 30-degree angle, Downward at 30-degree angle, and by stacking hexagonal letter tiles on top of other hexagonal letter tiles.

3. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 1, wherein the stackable hexagonal letter tiles are configured in a hexagon shape wherein the six sides of each stackable hexagonal letter tile can be placed next to sides of other hexagon shaped tiles to spell words using letters that are imprinted on at least a top surface of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles.

4. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 1, wherein each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles include a notch on their top surface and a bump on their bottom surface that is complimentary in size and location to the notch formed on the top surface of each of stackable hexagonal letter tiles.

5. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 4, wherein the bump on the bottom surface of a first stackable hexagonal letter tile is configured to rest in the trench formed on the top surface of a second stackable hexagonal letter tile as words are being spelled by stacking on a gaming surface (e.g., a gameboard).

6. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 1, wherein each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles include printing of letters and point values on the top surface at a least one of the six side surfaces.

7. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 1, wherein letters and point values are printed on the top surface and the six side surface to thereby be viewed from multiple perspectives by players during gameplay.

8. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 1, wherein the gaming surface further comprises a gameboard formed in a honeycomb layout and configured to enable the plurality of game pieces to be positioned on the gameboard.

9. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 8, wherein the gameboard includes a pattern of hexagon-shaped interconnected spaces wherein each space can accept a stackable hexagonal letter tile therein.

10. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 9, wherein each space can include a notch for receiving the bump formed on the bottom surface of each of the as stackable hexagonal letter tiles that are placed to rest on the gameboard during gameplay.

11. The multi-dimensional word spelling game of claim 10, wherein each notch formed in each of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles, the notches formed on each space of the gameboard assure that the stackable hexagonal letter tiles as game pieces will stay firmly stacked during gameplay.

12. A method of playing a multi-dimensional word spelling game, comprising:

providing stackable hexagonal letter tiles in a hexagon shape having a top surface and six side surfaces, wherein the six side surfaces of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles are configured to be placed next to sides of other hexagon shaped tiles and on top of other hexagon shaped tiles to spell words using letters that are imprinted on the top surface of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles; and

spelling words in vertical, upward, downward and stackable directions using the top surface and at least one of the six side surfaces of each stackable hexagonal letter tiles.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein words are spelled in the upwardly and downwardly direction will be formed in a 30-degree angle from a level cross section of each tile given the hexagon shape that the six sides and the top surface of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles provide.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein tile racks are provided for each player of a game to arrange their game pieces as they contemplate word spelling during gameplay.

15. A method of electronically playing a multi-dimensional word spelling game, comprising:

storing a multi-dimensional word building game program on a server, the program configured to provide remote player access to the program over a data network using remote devices and presenting providing three dimensional expressions of stackable hexagonal letter tiles in a hexagon shape having a top surface and six side surfaces, wherein the six side surfaces of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles are configured to be placed next to sides of other hexagon shaped tiles and on top of other hexagon shaped tiles for remote players to spell words using letters that are imprinted on the top surface of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles; and

enabling the remote players to spell words in vertical, upward, downward and stackable directions online and as displayed on a display screen associated with the remote devices using the top surface and at least one of the six side surfaces of each stackable hexagonal letter tiles.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein words when spelled are presented three-dimensionally on the display screen and are spelled in the upwardly and downwardly direction will be formed in a 30-degree angle from a level cross section of each tile given the hexagon shape that the six sides and the top surface of the stackable hexagonal letter tiles provide.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the server track remote player scores and performance histories.