Board game for guessing information about a topic area

• US 6,349,942 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William L. Solboe
• Original Assignee: William L. Solboe
• Inventors: Solboe, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mendiratta, Vishu K
• Application Number:
  US09/629,338
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 273/242, 273/243, 273/246, 273/429, 273/430, 273/431, 273/432, 273/236, 273/244
• US Class Current: 273/243
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00123 Board games concerning music
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00422 the shield being removable
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2011/0018 integrated in the game board
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/1063 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00119 Board games concerning music, theatre, cinema, or art

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, a board game for guessing song titles and artists includes a game board, spinner, timer, and a plurality of game pieces. The game board preferably has a scoring area on one end and a spinner area on the other end thereof. The scoring area allows the plurality of the game pieces to be used therein. The spinner area has an area for mounting the spinner. The area surrounding the spinner has a plurality of playing categories. Each player or team places a game piece in the start position of the scoring area. Each player or team takes turns rotating the spinner. The spinner will point to one of a plurality of playing categories. A person acting as a disc jockey, but not playing the game, will play the songs on a music source. Depending upon the category pointed to by the spinner, the participant will implement the prescribed action. When the title and artist of the song are correctly guessed; the next player or team rotates the spinner. The timer is used by the disc jockey to signal when time has expired for an individual player or team to guess the correct answers alone. The disc jockey announces the word “Mayhem” to indicate when time has expired and the other players or teams also have the opportunity to guess the answer(s). The first player or team to reach the maximum number of points wins the game.

Claims

1. A method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular song, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of game pieces;

(b) providing a game board with a scoring area and a spinner, said scoring area providing spaces for said plurality of game pieces, said spinner having a pointer disposed on a peripheral edge thereof, said spinner capable of pointing to one of at least three categories;

(c) assigning an order of play to at least two participants;

(d) rotating said spinner to determine a playing category, said spinner being rotated by one of said at least two participants;

(e) providing a first playing category which allows all participants to guess information about said particular song;

(f) providing a second playing category which allows only an active participant to guess information about said particular song for a set period of time, after said set period of time all participants being allowed to guess information about said particular song;

(g) providing a third playing category which allows said active participant to prevent at least one opposing participant from guessing information about said particular song; and

(h) providing a nonparticipant who plays said particular song, at least two participants being given a set period of time to guess information about said particular song.

2. The method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular song of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(i) awarding said at least one participant with at least one unit of points if information about said particular song is answered correctly.

3. The method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular song of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a fourth playing category which prevents at least one participant with the greatest number of points from guessing information about said particular song.

4. The method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular song of claim 1, wherein:

information about said song being the artist who performed said song.

5. The method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular song of claim 1 wherein:

information about said song being the title of the said song.

6. A method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular song, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of game pieces;

(b) providing a game board with a scoring area and a spinner, said scoring area providing spaces for said plurality of game pieces, said spinner having a pointer disposed on a peripheral edge thereof, said spinner capable of pointing to one of at least four categories;

(c) assigning an order of play to at least two participants;

(d) rotating said spinner to determine a playing category, said spinner being rotated by one of said at least two participants;

(e) providing a first playing category which allows all participants to guess information about said particular song;

(f) providing a second playing category which allows an active participant to guess information about said particular song for a set period of time, after said set period of time all participants being allowed to guess information about said particular song;

(g) providing a third playing category which allows said active participant to prevent at least one opposing participant from guessing information about said particular song; and

(h) providing a fourth playing category which prevents at least one participant with the greatest number of points from guessing information about said particular song;

(i) providing a nonparticipant who plays said particular song, at least two participants being given a set period of time to guess information about said particular song; and

(j) awarding said at least one participant with at least one unit of points if information about said particular song is answered correctly.

7. The method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular song of claim 6, wherein:

information about said song being the artist who performed said song.

8. The method for playing a game which allows

participants to guess information about a particular song of claim 6, wherein:

information about said song being the title of the said song.

9. A method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular topic area, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of game pieces;

(b) providing a game board with a scoring area and a spinner, said scoring area providing spaces for said plurality of game pieces, said spinner having a pointer disposed on a peripheral edge thereof, said spinner capable of pointing to one of at least three categories;

(c) assigning an order of play to at least two participants;

(d) rotating said spinner to determine a playing category, said spinner being rotated by one of said at least two participants;

(e) providing a first playing category which allows all participants to guess information about said particular topic area;

(f) providing a second playing category which allows an active participant to guess information about said particular topic area for a set period of time, after said set period of time all participants being allowed to guess information about said particular topic area;

(g) providing a third playing category which allows said active participant to prevent at least one opposing participant from guessing information about said particular topic area; and

(h) providing a nonparticipant who recites said particular topic area, at least two participants being given a set period of time to guess information about said particular topic area.

10. The method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular topic area of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

(i) awarding said at least one participant with at least one unit of points if information about said particular topic area is answered correctly.

11. The method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular topic area of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a fourth playing category which prevents at least one participant with the greatest number of points from guessing information about said particular topic area.

12. A method for playing a game which allows participants to guess information about a particular topic area, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of game pieces;

(b) providing a game board with a scoring area and a spinner, said scoring area providing spaces for said plurality of game pieces, said spinner having a pointer disposed on a peripheral edge thereof, said spinner capable of pointing to one of at least four categories;

(c) assigning an order of play to at least two participants;

(d) rotating a spinner to determine a playing category, said spinner being rotated by one of said at least two participants;

(e) providing a first playing category which allows all participants to guess information about said particular topic area;

(f) providing a second playing category which allows an active participant to guess information about said particular topic area for a set period of time, after said set period of time all participant being allowed to guess information about said particular topic area;

(g) providing a third playing category which allows said active participant to prevent at least one opposing participant from guessing information about said particular topic area;

(h) providing a fourth playing category which prevents at least one participant with the greatest number of points from guessing information about said particular topic area;

(i) providing a nonparticipant who recites said particular topic area, at least two participants being given a set period of time to guess information about said particular topic area; and

(j) awarding said at least one participant with at least one unit of points if information about said particular topic area is answered correctly.