Crossword Cubes Game Directions

The Crossword Cubes Game may be played as solitaire or competitively by any number of players.

THE OBJECT: To compete for high score while forming words in crossword fashion.

THE PLAY: The first player places all 14 cubes in the cup and tosses them.
(Click "Toss the cubes again") The timer is set. (The alarm will ring after 3 minutes have elapsed.) Using the letters that appear on the top of the cubes, (see the letters at the top of the screen) the player forms words across and down and connected in a continuous crossword pattern. Words of any length may be used, but they must be words found in a standard dictionary. Proper nouns, foreign words, abbreviations, and words requiring apostrophes and hyphens are not allowed. The two blanks ( _ ) may be used as any letter desired. If a blank is a common letter for two words, it must remain the same letter in both words. At the end of the time limit player's turn ends and his score is tallied.

The Grid You may enter your words in the grid under the letter cubes. Click on a cell in the grid, the cell will turn pink. When the cell turns pink you may then type a letter on the keyboard. To erase one letter, click on the cell and then press the "space" bar. To erase all of the letters in the grid, click the "Clear the Grid" button. You cannot type the blank "_" in the grid. You must decide which letter the blank will be and then type that letter in the grid.

Check Box To help you keep track of the letters that you have used, a row of check boxes have been placed under the letters row. After you have placed a letter on the grid, click the check box under the letter. A check mark will appear in that check box. To remove the check mark, click the check box again.

SCORING: Each letter has a score value as indicated by a number on the cube. The score value of a blank is zero. The score values of the horizontal words and vertical words are totaled. The letter used where a vertical and a horizontal word crosses is counted twice in scoring. The total values of the cubes not used is deducted from the total score (See Example). After the score is recorded the cubes are placed in the cup and are passed to the player on his left. (Click "Toss the cubes again") All players alternate one turn a piece.

END OF THE GAME: A game may consist of any agreed number of turns, or may continue until the score of any player reaches an agreed total. (200 points suggested).

EXAMPLE

                 
          U O N T W V I G F E E A R T         
              

                W
          T I G E R
          O F   A
          N     V
                E

      Not Used: T U


     ACROSS
       TIGER 1+1+2+1+1        =  6
          OF 1+1              =  2

     DOWN
        TON 1+1+1             =  3
         IF 1+1               =  2
      WEAVE 4+1+1+4+1         = 11

     TOTAL SCORE              = 24

     2 CUBES LEFT OVER (1+1)  =  2

     FINAL SCORE              = 22