This invention relates to apparatus for playing a game. The invention consists in a game comprising at least one pack of cards, each card bearing a symbol wherein the majority of symbols are letters of the alphabet and a minority bear another symbol (for example an asterisk) , or are blank, which can be used to represent any letter of the alphabet and wherein the games are played in accordance with any one of the following sets of rules: BEGINNER: Deal 7 cards to each player. Place the remainder of the pack face down. All players place words connected as in a crossword as fast as possible. A card with an asterisk may be used in place of any card. Players replenish their hands to 7 cards after each effort from the remainder pack. Unwanted cards are placed under the remainder pack. After the remainder pack is finished and all players have tried to use up their cards the game ends.

Score: 1 for each card used and minus 1 for any card discarded or still held by a player. ALPHABE ; Place cards alphabetically leaving gaps for missing letters. Using only duplicate cards attach words to such alphabetically placed cards. At a signal start without taking turns. Use sprint score values. SPRINT CROSSWORD: At a signal all players form their own crosswords as fast as possible without taking turns. Words may only be multiplied from ones own crossword. At the end

penalise any reuse of multiplied words, players may also challenge spelling.

Score: Each time a letter is used in a word score 1, asterisk 0 and J,K, and V 5, and the word score doubles, and for Q, X and Z 6 and the word score doubles.

MARATHON CROSSWORD: The same as for sprint except that short words score zero therefore players will take longer to form words.

Score: 2 and 3 letter words score 0 4 letter words score 1

5 letter words score 2

6 letter words score 4

7 letter words score 8

8 plus 8 for each letter above 7. Double the word score for each use of J,K,Q,V,X and Z or alternatively if one of those letters is used. SOCIAL CROSSWORD: Joint or individual crosswords are formed as decided by players. The player nearest the dealer starts. Keep score and challenge spelling and/or reuse of a multiplied letter after each turn. Choose either SPRINT or MARATHON score values.

RULES: Deal 7 (or all) cards to players. Place the remaining cards face down as a replenishing pack. An asterisk may be used in place of any letter to form a word. Each player must place a word crossword fashion to start or discard unwanted cards which are added to the replenishing pack. Deduct 5 for each card discarded. Players ay:- 1. Add words to make a crossword.

2. Multiply words by placing one or more letters over other letters thus forming new words. Score the extra words. An asterisk may not be used nor may the same letter be repeated. 3. Steal an asterisk by replacing it with the letter it represented.

OPTIONS: Decided by the player drawing the card nearest the

Z, thereafter the loser decides: a) . Reserve a word for exclusive use by placing an asterisk next to it. b) . Freeze 8 spaces around an asterisk placed face down next to another player's word, no further use may be made of such spaces or letters. The spaces around the word in a crossword are excluded. c) . Exchange letters with other letters changing a word and providing the player with desired letters to make a better word. d) . Add letters to lengthen a word. e) . Deal 10 cards, choose a certain length word and only that length of word or above scores. f) Rearrange the crossword at any time but letters may not be taken back.

Players maintain the number of cards dealt by replenishing at the end of each turn. If challenged deduct double the word score for spelling mistakes or the reuse of a multiplied letter, if falsely challenged deduct from the challenger. Play continues if a player goes out (score 10) . Play ends if:-

1. A player uses all letters in a single word (score 30) .

2. After the replenishing pack is finished a player goes out (score 10) .

3. All players are stymied at the end of a round. Subtract 1 for each unused letter and 3 for J,K,V, or an asterisk, and 6 for Q,X or Z. All words in a selected dictionary are allowed except abbreviations. (Handicap adults playing with children or consistently winning players by limiting the total word square to 20 x 20 letters then 19 x 19 down to 12 x 12, minus 1 point for any 2 letter word used then minus 1, then 2 points for 3 letter words, then minus 1,2 or 3 points for 4 letter words, by deducting 6 to 30 points for a discarded card and/or minus 1 to 10 points for any 2 to 5 letter word used) . TOURNAMENTS AND CLASSROOM: Use SPRINT and MARATHON for eliminations. Finalists play SOCIAL CROSSWORD. (Cards may be used to teach words and letter recognition, the alphabet, to repeat words the teacher writes on the board and to play the games to improve spelling and vocabulary) . In a preferred embodiment the cards are quite small so that several crosswords can be laid out in a relatively confined playing space. Thus, for example, if the cards are rectangular they may be no more than 4 cm high and 3% cm wide. It is possible to form the cards in other shapes such as hexagons, but in general a rectangular shape is preferred.

The reference above to cards bearing letters of the alphabet is for the purpose of this specification intended

to include any symbol in any written language which is used as a component of a word e.g. a Japanese or Chinese character.

Each pack preferably includes at least 90 cards and in a particularly preferred embodiment each pack includes between 100 and 110 cards.

The distribution of letters within the pack will vary in accordance with the language for which the pack is prepared, but for English it is preferred that the pack includes at least 10 'A's, 10 'E's, 10 'I's, 9 'O's and 4

^• U's. Conveniently each pack also includes only one each of the letters J.K,Q,X and Z. Thus one letter distribution is

A-10, B-2, C-4, D-3, E-12, F-2, G-2, H-3 , 1-10, J-l, K-l, L-

4, M-3, N-6, 0-9, P-2, Q-l, R-6, S-6, T-6, U-5, V-l, W-2, X- 1, Y-2, Z-l, *-5.

The letters may be printed on a single sheet and supplied in this form for consideration by the user. An example of such a sheet is shown in the attached figure.

This sheet also illustrates one particular combination of cards which is suitable for playing in English.

Although the game has been described in terms of a physical pack, it will be understood that the pack could be represented as a video game on a computer monitor and the game could be played via a computer.