New and unique puzzle mechanics, systems, and methods are described herein. A puzzle grid comprising linearly arranged intersecting words, with each individual letter placed on a separate puzzle tile, may be divided into a plurality of puzzle pieces, where each puzzle piece is formed of one or more contiguous puzzle tiles. Each puzzle piece shape conforms to one of a predefined set of shapes. To mix up the puzzle grid, identically shaped puzzle pieces may be randomly shuffled and rotated if required so that the puzzle layout remains unchanged whereas the letters are scrambled. Also puzzle pieces whose shape exhibit rotational symmetry may be optionally rotated within the puzzle layout. Letters may maintain upright legibility. A user may then attempt to solve the puzzle by swapping identically shaped puzzle pieces and optionally rotating puzzle pieces whose shape exhibit rotational symmetry.

An apparatus, method, and/or system for teaching the value of monetary coins including first, second, third, and fourth bases, each having a plurality of recesses, and first, second, third and fourth inserts, each having at least one protrusion for inserting into a corresponding recess of one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth bases. The first, second, third, and fourth bases may be provided in one kit or as part of one overall apparatus, wherein the first base has only one hundred recesses, the second base has only twenty-five recesses, the third base has only ten recesses, and the fourth base has only five recesses. The first, second, third, and fourth inserts may be configured to cover twenty-five, ten, five, and one recesses, respectively to represent twenty five cents, ten cents, five cents, and one cent of a U.S. dollar.

Methods and apparatus of associating by a computerized system, labels with the order of execution of steps of solving a puzzle, game or activity, for one or more parts of one or more solution-paths for the puzzle, game or activity are described. Execution of the puzzle solution and also the particular sequence of steps in the solution paths are used to evaluate a relative efficiency of one sequence of steps over the other sequence. By quantifying efficiency of the solution path it becomes possible to logically and objectively compare the efficiency of two or more solutions or completions of the puzzle, game or activity.

An alternative to a traditional single solution puzzle is disclosed. Under the puzzle system of the present invention, each tab fits into each pocket, thereby allowing the user to build creatively rather than attempt to solve. The puzzle system of the present invention is useful for all, and it is optimal for young children, aging and cognitively impaired adults.

An arithmetic educational game, including a game board, including a plurality of first colored shapes disposed on at least a portion of a front surface of the game board, a plurality of second colored shapes disposed on at least a portion of the front surface of the game board, a plurality of third colored shapes disposed on at least a portion of the front surface of the game board, and a plurality of fourth colored shapes disposed on at least a portion of the front surface of the game board, a ball to propel toward the game board, such that the ball connects to at least one of the plurality of first colored shapes, the plurality of second colored shapes, the plurality of third colored shapes, and the plurality of fourth colored shapes, and a plurality of cards to be drawn in response to the ball connecting to at least one of the plurality of first colored shapes and the plurality of second colored shapes.

Disclosed is a system and method for providing an entertaining experience of war between players over a plurality of areas of a game board. The game board includes a plurality of areas, which may be depicted as a world map, a plurality of board playing cards, and connectors, where the connector makes adjacent a first board playing card of a first playing area with a second board playing card of a second playing area. Each player is delt a plurality of holding cards including the suit assigned to that specific player. The objective of the game is for players to alternate swap requests, swapping holding cards with board playing cards until a player accumulates a winning hand including a straight flush. The defined areas and connectors on the game board increases the interaction and frequency of battles between players making it more difficult to accumulate a winning hand.

Disclosed is a system and method for providing an entertaining experience of war between players over a plurality of areas of a game board. The game board includes a plurality of areas, which may be depicted as a world map, a plurality of board playing cards, and connectors, where the connector makes adjacent a first board playing card of a first playing area with a second board playing card of a second playing area. Each player is delt a plurality of holding cards including the suit assigned to that specific player. The objective of the game is for players to alternate swap requests, swapping holding cards with board playing cards until a player accumulates a winning hand including a straight flush. The defined areas and connectors on the game board increases the interaction and frequency of battles between players making it more difficult to accumulate a winning hand.

A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein for a System Tuner for customizing a player's experience. The System Tuner calculates a player skill level for a player. The System Tuner modifies at least one attribute of a second game level based on the player skill level prior to game play of the player in the second game level. The System Tuner detects game play of the player in the second game level. The System Tuner identifies a difference between a current rate of progression of the player and a reference rate of progression. The System Tuner triggers the modified attribute of the second game according to an extent of the difference between the current rate of progression and the reference rate of progression.

New and unique puzzle mechanics, systems, and methods are described herein. A puzzle grid comprising linearly arranged intersecting words, with each individual letter placed on a separate puzzle tile, may be divided into a plurality of puzzle pieces, where each puzzle piece is formed of one or more contiguous puzzle tiles. Each puzzle piece shape conforms to one of a predefined set of shapes. To mix up the puzzle grid, identically shaped puzzle pieces may be randomly shuffled and rotated if required so that the puzzle layout remains unchanged whereas the letters are scrambled. Also puzzle pieces whose shape exhibit rotational symmetry may be optionally rotated within the puzzle layout. Letters may maintain upright legibility. A user may then attempt to solve the puzzle by swapping identically shaped puzzle pieces and optionally rotating puzzle pieces whose shape exhibit rotational symmetry.

Methods and systems that facilitate generating and presenting a crossword puzzle. Methods include obtaining, from a content source, a plurality of data items. Using the plurality of data items, a dictionary of clue-word pairs are generated. A crossword layout is generated using a random crossword layout generator. The generated crossword layout is input to a model that outputs a likelihood that the input crossword layout results in a valid crossword. If the likelihood that the crossword layout results in a valid crossword puzzle satisfies a first threshold, a plurality of words in a set of clue-word pairs from among the plurality of clue-word pairs is inserted into the crossword layout. If the plurality of words inserted into the crossword layout results in a valid crossword puzzle, the crossword puzzle is provided to a user on a user device using the set of clue-word pairs.