Thesaurus game apparatus

An educational device employing a game to teach words and their meanings. This educational device is comprised of four groups of game cards and a playing board. The front face of each game card is divided into six word designations and on the back of the card are the meanings of that word designation. The playing board is divided into four stations of play, each equipped with an erasable answer slate for writing each player's answers and score board. The game board has two scoring disc holders and a spin dial and pointer used to randomly select a game card from a particular group of cards and to randomly select a word on the game card. The spin dial is divided into twenty-four sectors, each of which is color coded to correspond to one of the four color coded groups of cards. Each color coded sector has an indicia corresponding to one of the six word designations on one of the four playing card groups. For quick reference the twenty-four sectors and the corresponding playing cards are color coordinated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a game that combines education and 
entertainment in a complementary manner so that players of the game learn 
definitions, synonyms, or foreign language equivalents, while competing in 
a challenging way. 
Although the number of words in the English language has increased over the 
past several centuries, the vocabulary of the common citizen remains 
limited. Often, the same words are used over and over again in both 
conversation and in writing. School teachers warn their students about 
this, but few actually develop "word power." To bolster this effort, 
various educational techniques are used, including reliance upon a 
thesaurus. But none of these approaches provide an entertainment quality 
that turns the teaching of words and their meanings into fun. 
The prior attempts at providing a vocabulary game of entertainment and 
educational value have employed similar components, such as cards and a 
spin dial. Most notably is the 1981 patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,725, 
issued to Sawyer for a "Thesaurus Card Game." This game includes playing 
cards of substantially different construction and the relation between the 
random selection apparatus of this invention and the cards is clearly 
distinguishable from the present invention. Accordingly, this patent, as 
well as other various prior art word game apparatuses are not deemed, 
either singly or in combination, to teach the present invention as 
described in the claims appended thereto. 
The thesaurus game of the invention utilizes a plurality of game cards, a 
device for the random selection of play, means for recording answers, and 
means to keep score. 
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided four groups of 
game cards. One group contains words beginning with the letters "A" 
through "F." A second group has words beginning with the letters "G" 
through "N." The third group has words beginning with the letters "O" 
through "Z." The fourth group of cards contains words considered more 
difficult than the words on the other cards, being designated as "Double 
Risk" and "Triple Risk" words. Each group of cards is color coordinated to 
corresponding indicia of the random selecting device of the invention. 
On the front of each game card are various alphabetical or risk element 
designations along with a corresponding word and its part of speech. On 
the back of each card are acceptable definitions which correspond to the 
subject word. 
In the preferred embodiment, a spinning pointer, situated in the middle of 
the rigid, generally flat board is used to randomly select a designation 
for play which corresponds to one of the four card groups. This 
destination includes the appropriate line of play on the card group 
selected along with color coding for quick reference. 
The spinning pointer is pivotably mounted in the center of the board so 
that the indicator can be spun around the circular dial face of the 
device. The dial face is divided into twenty-four equal sections, each 
corresponding to the alphabetical and risk element designations contained 
on the face of the game cards having the same color designation. When 
spun, the head of the spinning pointer comes to rest in one of the 
twenty-four sections. 
In the alternate embodiment, a dispensing device can be used as a random 
selection device. Twenty-four spherical elements are color coded and have 
indicia thereon of the same nature as that contained on the dial face of 
the preferred embodiment. A board having the other components of the game 
apparatus can be used with this embodiment, or, the other components can 
be separately constructed for use in playing the game. 
If employed, the game board has four stations of play, one for each of the 
participants. Each play station consists of an erasable answer slate and a 
scoring table. The board also has two scoring disc holders which hold the 
discs to keep score on the scoring table. 
These and other features of the game apparatus are more fully described 
herein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object, advantage and feature of the invention to provide an 
educational and entertaining game apparatus for the teaching of words and 
their meanings. 
It is a further object, advantage and feature of the invention to provide a 
novel construction for random selection devices. 
It is a further object, advantage and feature of the invention to provide a 
novel construction of game cards. 
It is still a further object, advantage and feature of the invention to 
provide a novel relationship between the random selection device and the 
game cards. 
Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent 
from the following description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The method of play and apparatus used in the present invention is best 
described by reference to a specific detailed embodiment. Nevertheless, it 
is to be understood that the drawing and description are not limiting upon 
the scope of the present invention since various apparatus can be utilized 
in the determination of game card selection. Any means for randomly 
selecting numbers can be substituted, as well as the particular spinning 
apparatus as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Similarly, any scorekeeping apparatus 
with a means to add and subtract points towards a total can be employed. 
The construction of the scorekeeping means shown in FIG. 1 is especially 
advantageous for use in connection with play of the present invention, as 
will be discussed in further detail hereinafter. 
Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a top plan view of the game board 
10 of the present invention, comprising of a spinning indicator 120 
supported over a circular dial face 100, separated into twenty-four equal 
(color coded) segments 102-107, 102'-107', 102"-107", and 102'"-107'" (as 
shown enlarged in FIG. 2), a plurality of erasable answer slates 160, 
scoring boards 50, scoring disc holders 90 and scoring discs 95. Each of 
the twenty-four equal segments 102, et seq. include an imprinted 
alphabetical or risk element indicia. The dial face 100 is also imprinted 
on the game board 10 and is used as a base to support a pivot stem (not 
shown), which pivotally supports the spinning indicator 120. Although the 
dial face is divided into twenty-four segments 102, et seq. of equal size, 
it is within the scope of the present invention to vary the size of the 
segments if desired. However, equal size of each segment as shown allows 
an equal chance for indicia to be selected. Continuing with FIG. 1, the 
score boards 50, of which there are four, are rectangular in nature and 
divided into twenty equal blocks each with imprinted sequential integers 
from 5 through 100. The features of the scoring board 50 and scoring discs 
95 and holder 90 will be expanded on further in greater detail hereinafter 
by way of example through discussion of game play. 
FIG. 2 which shows an enlarged view of the random selecting device of the 
preferred embodiment which is in the form of a spinning indicator and dial 
face. The dial face 100 as previously described is divided into 
twenty-four equal sections 102, et seq. which are color coordinated and 
correspond to the particular alphabetical or risk element indicia on each 
game card. The dial face 100 has its twenty-four sections color coded into 
four groups, six sections within each group. Each section within the group 
have the same color and correspond with like grouping on the game cards. 
For example, sections 102, 103', 104", 105'", 106, 107" can correspond 
with the cards having words thereon, beginning with the letter "A" through 
"F," and the other sections correspond with the other three groups of 
cards. The color coding allows for quick reference to this particular 
indicia by color as opposed to looking for the actual word which 
corresponds to that indicia selected, which in turn speeds up game play by 
avoiding unnecessary time spent looking for the appropriate word. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an alternate embodiment of the 
random selection device, comprising receptacle 130 having a cavity 136 
therein. At the base of said receptacle is an opaque collar 132 which 
shields said base from view and forms a channel for color coded spherical 
elements 140, 142, 144, 146, and 147 (representative of the 24 spherical 
elements) to be dispensed singly through a dispensing valve 134. 
FIG. 4 illustrates the disc 95 used in connection with disc holder 90 in 
order to keep score. 
Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 8, there is shown a front face of a 
representative of a plurality of game cards 70a (shown in FIGS. 5 and 7). 
The left side of the front face is separated into distinct categories, 
either alphabetical element 72 or risk element 82 each corresponding to 
segments of the dial face of the spinning indicator in FIG. 2. Each 
alphabetical or risk element indicia is color coded with the corresponding 
indicia of the dial face. Opposite the alphabetical column 72 or risk 
element column 82 is the game word 74 and its corresponding part of speech 
76. 
Continuing with FIGS. 4 and 8 which show the reverse side 70b of the cards 
in FIGS. 5 and 7, respectively, are the same game words that appear on the 
front face 70a of that card. Opposite these words are a plurality of 
synonyms 78 which are considered correct answers. 
Each card has a perimeter zone 71 which is color coded to like coding of 
the random selection means. 
The game may be played by two or more individuals or teams, in the 
embodiment of the present invention up to four individuals or teams may 
play. 
The game begins by one player or team spinning the pointer 120 which comes 
to rest above the alphabetical or risk element indicia on said equal 
segments. This corresponds to the specific indicia on the game card, which 
is the subject of play. The player then reads the word 74 and part of 
speech 76 which corresponds to the indicia selected and the players then 
have sixty seconds to write down on the erasable scoring board 160 a 
synonym which they feel will be matched on the reverse side of the game 
card 70b. Each player that matches a synonym is awarded one scoring disc 
95. No discs are lost if an incorrect answer is given. Each scoring disc 
is worth 5 points and would be placed in the appropriate column of the 
scoring board 50. If the spinning indicator 120 lands on either a double 
risk 84 or triple risk 86 designation, the method of play is the same. 
Scoring, however, is different. The double 84 and triple 86 risk 
designations give the player the option of wagering two or three scoring 
discs 95 respectively upon the outcome of the question. If a correct 
answer is given, then depending upon the designation, either two or three 
scoring discs 95 are awarded. In contrast to the mode of scoring used with 
the alphabetical segments, however, an incorrect answer in a risk element 
category subjects the player to the loss of either two or three discs 
depending upon the level of risk involved in the question. Alternatively, 
players are not required to risk their scoring discs 95 in this fashion, 
and at the player's option, double 84 and triple 86 risk elements can be 
scored in the same way the alphabetical segments are. That is, if a player 
answers the question correctly, he or she will gain one scoring disc 95, 
but if his or her answer is incorrect, the player will not lose a scoring 
disc 95. Players cannot bet more discs than they have, thus a player 
without discs or with only one disc cannot take advantage of the double or 
triple risk designations and may accordingly only bet one scoring disc 95. 
Each disc is worth five points and the first player or team to accumulate 
20 discs or 100 points is the winner. 
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various 
modificiations and substitutions to various components may be made without 
departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. It can be 
seen from the above that what has been disclosed herein can be used to 
teach virtually any subject area, although the preferred embodiment is 
primarily directed to the teaching of synonyms.