The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-01-31
NEW GAME PLAYED WITH LETTERS.
Simple Enough for Children and Difncuit
Enough for Graybeards.


A new game. which affords a good
deal OF amusement to many people.
and also imparts considerable instruc-
ton to the young in the formation of
words. is played In the following man
ner. with the letters OF the alphabet:
Half dozen sets of all the letters of
the alphabet are provided. each letter
on small piece of pasteboard or wood.
One player then gathers all the letters
before him on the table aud the other
players sit around the table rs at
cards. The player who has all the let
tiers then turns them face downward
and proceeds to deal them out, one by
one, to the others, beginning with the
player sitting at his right hand and
continuing around the table in order.
As he deals letter out he turns its
face mp SO that all may see it is an IN"
for instance. The next player gets an
60" suppose. and he quickly sees that
his letter, joined to the N" received
by the first playee. will form the word
mo-" He announces the fact and
claims the en-" This is surrendered
to him and he forms the word mo" on
the table in front of him. and must
other player gets letter which, added
to the word no." will form some
other word.
Suppose. for instance, that the third
letter dealt ont Is ''w." Then the
owner of the wv" may claim the word
mo-" and adding his Nv" to it make
it now" The fourth letter turned
up may be 'y." and the owner of
"now" breathes a sigh Of relief as he
thinks he will hold on to his word for
little while anyway, for the nov"
and the ~" don't seem to make any
thing. Perhaps seven letters follow,
out of which no combination can be
made which will spell correct word,
until some one gets an IS" This let
ter. In connection with now" will
spell SNOW" but IL the lucky owner
OF the IS" Is sharp enough he will also
claim the ~" from his other rival, and
spell snowy"
The examples given here are sample
words, as they show more clearly to
young minds how the game may be
played easily, but when number of |
letters have been dealt out the most
skillful spoilers may find scope for |
dOiitiCS, uuu uEO tho COtA-
binations which will escape the notice
of all who are gathered around the
table, for time. until some one dis
covers them, rs IL by accident, and
then the wonder will be that they were
not seer before.
One player may not claim from an
other any letter or letters which have
been worked up into word without
taking that whole word and using il
all, though its letters may be entirely !
to make different word. |
The range of words may wander over
half Il dozen languages, il the players
SO agree. and then the game becomes
difficult enough for Boston blue
stocking or college professor.
The winner of the game is the player |
who has the most complete words
spread oct on the table in front of him
when the dealer has turned up the las.
letter he has in his pile. Long words
count no more than short words. and
II two players 'tie" they set to work
breaking up their long words into
short ones, and this disposes of the tie
nine times out of ten. For large
number Of players large number Of
letters is, of course, required, but two |
people will often play the game for
half an hour before exhausting half |
dozen complete alphabets. IN y
Tribune.