Electronic word puzzle game

A method for conducting a word puzzle game comprising the steps of:

• receiving initialized score data representing a score;
• displaying the score based on the initialized score data;
• receiving display area data representing a plurality of display areas, each display area corresponding to a character of a puzzle phrase, each character being selected from the group consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• displaying the plurality of display areas;
• receiving a player selection, the player selection being selected from a plurality of player selectable characters consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• transmitting the player selection to a central server;
• receiving updated score data representing the score;
• displaying the score based on the updated score data;
• receiving a solution character corresponding to at least one display area;
• and
• displaying the solution character.

An apparatus for conducting a word puzzle game, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory connected to the processor storing a program to control the operation of the processor;
• the processor operative with the program in the memory to:
• initialize score data representing a score;
• determine a puzzle phrase, the puzzle phrase comprising a plurality of characters, each of the plurality of characters being selected from the group consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• display a plurality of display areas, each display area corresponding to one of the plurality of characters of the puzzle phrase;
• receive a player selection, the player selection being selected from a plurality of player selectable characters consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• update the score data, thereby decreasing the score based on an elapsed time;
• compare the player selection to at least one character of the puzzle phrase to determine whether the player selection matches any of the at least one character of the puzzle phrase;
• and
• display each character of the puzzle phrase determined to match the player selection.

An apparatus for conducting a word puzzle game, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory connected to the processor storing a program to control the operation of the processor,
• the processor operative with the program in the memory to:
• receive initialized score data representing a score;
• display the score based on the initialized score data;
• receive display area data representing a plurality of display areas, each display area corresponding to a character of a puzzle phrase, each character being selected from the group consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• display the plurality of display areas;
• receive a player selection, the player selection being selected from a plurality of player selectable characters consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• transmit the player selection to a central server;
• receive updated score data representing the score;
• display the score based on the updated score data;
• receive a solution character corresponding to at least one display area;
• and
• display the solution character.

An apparatus for conducting a word puzzle game, the apparatus comprising:

• means for initializing score data representing a score;
• means for determining a puzzle phrase, the puzzle phrase comprising a plurality of characters, each of the plurality of characters being selected from the group consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• means for displaying a plurality of display areas, each display area corresponding to one of the plurality of characters of the puzzle phrase;
• means for receiving a player selection, the player selection being selected from a plurality of player selectable characters consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• means for updating the score data, thereby decreasing the score based on an elapsed time;
• means for comparing the player selection to at least one character of the puzzle phrase to determine whether the player selection matches any of the at least one character of the puzzle phrase;
• and
• means for displaying each character of the puzzle phrase determined to match the player selection.

An apparatus for conducting a word puzzle game, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving initialized score data representing a score;
• means for displaying the score based on the initialized score data;
• means for receiving display area data representing a plurality of display areas, each display area corresponding to a character of a puzzle phrase, each character being selected from the group consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• means for displaying the plurality of display areas;
• means for receiving a player selection, the player selection being selected from a plurality of player selectable characters consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• means for transmitting the player selection to a central server;
• means for receiving updated score data representing the score;
• means for displaying the score based on the updated score data;
• means for receiving a solution character corresponding to at least one display area;
• and
• means for displaying the solution character.

A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for conducting a word puzzle game, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

• initializing score data representing a score;
• determining a puzzle phrase, the puzzle phrase comprising a plurality of characters, each of the plurality of characters being selected from the group consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• displaying a plurality of display areas, each display area corresponding to one of the plurality of characters of the puzzle phrase;
• receiving a player selection, the player selection being selected from a plurality of player selectable characters consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• updating the score data, thereby decreasing the score based on an elapsed time;
• comparing the player selection to at least one character of the puzzle phrase to determine whether the player selection matches any of the at least one character of the puzzle phrase;
• and
• displaying each character of the puzzle phrase determined to match the player selection.

A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for conducting a word puzzle game, said processing instructions for directing a computer to perform the steps of:

• receiving initialized score data representing a score;
• displaying the score based on the initialized score data;
• receiving display area data representing a plurality of display areas, each display area corresponding to a character of a puzzle phrase, each character being selected from the group consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• displaying the plurality of display areas;
• receiving a player selection, the player selection being selected from a plurality of player selectable characters consisting of letters, spaces and punctuation marks;
• transmitting the player selection to a central server;
• receiving updated score data representing the score;
• displaying the score based on the updated score data;
• receiving a solution character corresponding to at least one display area;
• and
• displaying the solution character.