A homicide board game for playing by a plurality of players each assuming the roles of detectives, the players each following a multitude of clues to determine the murderer of a named murdered victim, the game comprising, in combination:
- a first deck of information cards identified as Clue cards, the deck consisting of five identically shaped and configured rectangular flat cards each having a back side and a face side, the back side of each card being identical to prevent distinguishment of the cards from each other when placed with the face side down, the face side of each card each containing a different name of a clue imprinted thereon, the different clues being "GLOVE", "KEYS", "SCARF", "BLOOD" and "CAR";
- a second deck of information cards identified as Weapon cards, the deck consisting of five identically shaped and configured rectangular flat cards each having a back side and a face side, the back side of each card being identical to prevent distinguishment of the cards from each other when placed with the face side down, the face side of each card each containing a different name of a weapon imprinted thereon, the different weapons being "KNIFE", "GUN", "AXE", "ROPE" and "POISON", the weapon cards being identical in configuration as the clue cards;
- a third deck of information cards identified as Motive cards, the deck consisting of four identically shaped and configured rectangular flat cards each having a back side and a face side, the back side of each card being identical to prevent distinguishment of the cards from each other when placed with their face side down, the face side of each card each containing a different name of a motive imprinted thereon, the different motives being "JEALOUSY", "BLACKMAIL", "HATE" and "MONEY", the motive cards being identical in configuration as the clue cards and the weapon cards;
- a plurality of Murderer Sheets each being of an identical flat rectangular configuration having a flat face surface and a flat back surface;
- a flat, rectangularly shaped game board having a flat playing surface imprinted on a flat face surface thereof, a flat back surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, and opposed side edges, the game board divided into equal half portions and hinged along its central axis permitting the half portions to fold onto each other in face-to-face relationship for ease of storage and transportation of the game board, a first roadway extending continuously about the outermost periphery of the playing surface adjacent to the edges thereof and formed of a series of consecutive side-by-side rectangles defining playing spaces therealong, a second roadway substantially concentric with the first roadway and spaced inwardly therefrom and defining a general rectangular shape and formed of a series of consecutive side-by-side rectangles defining playing spaces which are substantially indentical to the first mentioned playing spaces, a plurality of spaced apart third roadways disposed between the first and second roadways and interconnecting portions of the first roadway to portions of the second roadway at spaced intervals completely about the playing surface, the third roadways each formed of a series of consecutive side-by-side rectangles defining playing spaces therealong which are substantially identical to the first and second mentioned playing spaces, there being disposed at intervals along the first, second and third roadways a multitude of squares designated as individual houses with each square having imprinted thereon an individual's name and a set of three "leads" selected one from each of the groups of clues, weapons and motives as found on the decks of cards defining each group, the combination of three "leads" being different for each of the named individuals such that none of the individuals' squares on the playing surface contain the same three "leads" thus making each square unique from each other individuals' square, three of the four corners of the playing surface of the game board being respectively identified by the marking imprinted thereon of "WEAPON", "MOTIVE" and "CLUE" with portions of the game board adjacent thereto being designated as positions on which the respective decks of Clue cards, Weapon cards, and Motive cards are intended to be stacked in a face-down manner for individual selection thereof by the players of the game during the play of the game;
- a plurality of distinctive markers, one for each player of the game, for use by each player of the game to mark the player's position on the game board as the play of the game proceeds from player to player, each marker of a configuration to be readily received in any roadway rectangle or individuals' square to mark the players position thereon;
- a chance device in the form of a conventional die for use in turn by each of the players in determining the length and position of each of the player's movements along the roadways of the game board playing surface as the player progress thereabout;
- a player gaining access to an individual's square to interrogate the individual named thereon by landing on a roadway rectangle immediately adjacent such individual's square and on which the square faces;
- a miniature figure in the form of a dead body for use in marking on the game board the name of the murdered victim for all players to clearly see and for which the murderer must be detected by the players, the player successfully detecting the name of the individual who murdered the victim being determined the winner of the game;
- a police file container adapted to sit freely in the middle of the game board for ready access by each of the game players, the container having a flat horizontal top surface, a flat horizontal bottom surface, a vertical bottom end, opposed vertical side ends, and an open top end providing access therethrough to an open topped compartment formed interiorly of the container between the surfaces thereof, the compartment adapted to receive therein a plurality of the Murderer Sheets in a stacked relationship with the face surface of the topmost sheet facing upwardly, the top surface of the container is provided with a multitude of squares marked thereon with each of the squares having imprinted thereon an individual's name and street address corresponding to the individual's square on the game board, a slot shaped opening is formed in each of the squares opening through the container top surface in communication with the sheet compartment to provide visibility of a portion of the Murderer Sheet disposed in the compartment immediately adjacent the container top surface, a flap defining door member disposed in each of the slots and operative between a normally closed position closing the slot and preventing visibility of the murderer sheet therebelow and an open position providing selective viewability of the murderer sheet through the slot, a Murderer opening formed in the container top surface separate from the squares imprinted thereon and positioned to register with the name of the murderer found on the murderer sheet positioned beneath the container top surface, a flap defining door member disposed in the murderer opening and operative between a normally closed position closing the opening and preventing viewing of the name of the murderer and an open position disclosing the name of the murderer through the opening, a signal defining aperture formed in the container top surface and adapted to register with a portion of the murderer sheet disposed in the compartment immediately therebelow to provide a visual indication that the murderer sheet is properly inserted in the container compartment beneath the top surface preparatory to and during the play of the game;
- the murderer sheets being plural in number with their being a murderer sheet prepared for each of the individuals named on the individual game board squares, the name of the individual on each sheet being imprinted on the face surface thereof in a position to register with the murderer opening in the container top surface upon the sheet being placed in the container compartment, marking indicia imprinted on each of the murderer sheet face surfaces in a position to register with the signal aperture of the container top surface to indicate the proper positioning of the murderer sheet in the container compartment when the sheet is inserted therein, a plurality of markings disposed about the face surface of each of the murderer sheets adapted to register with some of the slotted openings in the container top surface for viewability through such slots upon the opening of the flap door associated with such slot, the markings indicating those individuals which are suspect from those individuals which are innocent to thus provide clues for the players for the determination of the name of the murderer;
- a plurality of detective notebook sheets each of a flat rectangular sheet of paper having a plurality of vertical and horizontal lines imprinted on a face surface thereof defining columns and rows of such columns, the sheets being for use in conjunction with appropriate indicia on the game board with one sheet assigned to each game player for listing thereon by the player the names of individuals interrogated by the player in an attempt to determine the name of the murderer with the use of information provided by successive use of the clue, weapon, and motive cards selected by the players for the purpose of logical development of the game purpose, each of the notebook sheets are of an identical shape and configuration having the face surface divided into three vertical columns identified, from left to right, as "CHECK LIST", "NAMES" and "NAMES", the "CHECK LIST" column is divided into six vertical sub-columns each of which is, in turn, difided by horizontal lines into at least 26 vertically arranged squares, the first sub-column on the left having the letters of the alphabet "A" through "Z" written in the squares thereof, the remaining five sub-columns each being identified at the head thereof by the numbers 1 through 5 respectively, each of the "NAMES" columns being identical and each divided into six vertical sub-columns with each sub-column divided by the same horizontal lines passing through the "CHECK LIST" column to provide at least 26 separate vertical squares for each column, the "NAMES" sub-column being identified, starting from the left, by the numbers 1-5 respectively for the first five columns with the sixth sub-column being identified by the letter "S", the name of each individual named on the game board has exactly five letters in the name such that an individual's name chosen to be interrogated by a player is written into the first five sub-columns of a "NAMES" column with the marking "S" placed in the "S" sub-column if such interrogated individual's name indicates on the police file container as being a suspect as indicated by a marking on the murderers sheet disposed in the container compartment and exposed through one of the openings in the top member of the police file;
- there being a like number of separate individuals' squares on the game board as there are individuals listed on the police file container top surface as there are murderer's sheets each corresponding to one of the named individuals;
- each individual has uniquely associated therewith on the individual square of the game board three "leads" with one of the leads corresponding to a Clue card, one of the leads corresponding to a Weapon card, and one of the leads corresponding to a Motive card;
- and
- whereby a murderer sheet is picked at random with the murderer name hidden, the sheet placed in the container compartment beneath the top surface thereof with the indicia on the sheet in registration with the openings in the container, a detective sheet is assigned to each player for the players use along with one of the markers, and the die is tossed by each player in turn as they progress along the roadways and interrogate individuals on the game board as they progress thereabout to determine the name of the murderer, the first player to do so being determined the winner.