Character based games and methods of play are provided. In preferred embodiments, the character based games include hydrophobic game boards that use characters formed from water or other liquids with surrounded or suspended character features. In a preferred embodiment, a method of play is provided. The method of play comprises: adding a character feature to water; placing the water including the character feature on a hydrophobic play surface such that the water forms a bead surrounding the character feature; and manipulating the hydrophobic play surface to cause the bead of water including the character feature to move to different locations on the play surface.

System and method for additional amusement, entertaining and surprising visual or audible reward provided upon completing the reconstructing of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle pieces include conductive pads connected by a conductor such as a wire, a metallic strip or a conductive paint, so that upon assembling the puzzle, the pads are in contact to form a continuous conductive path. The frame or the puzzle pieces include a battery (or an AC adapter) and a visual or audible signaling device operating upon sensing the continuity of the conductive path. Each of the puzzle pieces may include three or more conductive pads, allowing for the forming two or more isolated or connected distinct conductive paths. The conductive path can further affect a time measurement and its related display for timing the puzzle solving.

System and method for additional amusement, entertaining and surprising visual or audible reward provided upon completing the reconstructing of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle pieces include conductive pads connected by a conductor such as a wire, a metallic strip or a conductive paint, so that upon assembling the puzzle, the pads are in contact to form a continuous conductive path. The frame or the puzzle pieces include a battery (or an AC adapter) and a visual or audible signaling device operating upon sensing the continuity of the conductive path. Each of the puzzle pieces may include three or more conductive pads, allowing for the forming two or more isolated or connected distinct conductive paths. The conductive path can further affect a time measurement and its related display for timing the puzzle solving.

The invention is a method to uplift education comprising of 4-dimensional, single- and multi layered educational puzzles, operating through 7 designs of functional relationships between the indicia (learning contents), and substrate.

The invention constitutes an effective method to teach persons of all ages, particularly children, any educational subject. Examples: literacy, biology, science, geography, maths, etcetera.

Themes of the puzzles are structured according to the objectives of local school curriculum wherever it is made available globally, and it therefore accelerates cognitive development.

The invention is unlimited in application and form an incomparable educational aid, versatile and valuable in the cognitive development of learners, especially in remedial teaching. It can be used in a one: one teacher or parent: learner/child situation, or a group,or individual situations in urban or rural areas, without electricity. Children love doing puzzles repetitively, therefore successful assimilation of educational material is assured.

System and method for additional amusement, entertaining and surprising visual or audible reward provided upon completing the reconstructing of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle pieces include conductive pads connected by a conductor such as a wire, a metallic strip or a conductive paint, so that upon assembling the puzzle, the pads are in contact to form a continuous conductive path. The frame or the puzzle pieces include a battery (or an AC adapter) and a visual or audible signaling device operating upon sensing the continuity of the conductive path. Each of the puzzle pieces may include three or more conductive pads, allowing for the forming two or more isolated or connected distinct conductive paths. The conductive path can further affect a time measurement and its related display for timing the puzzle solving.

System and method for additional amusement, entertaining and surprising visual or audible reward provided upon completing the reconstructing of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle pieces include conductive pads connected by a conductor such as a wire, a metallic strip or a conductive paint, so that upon assembling the puzzle, the pads are in contact to form a continuous conductive path. The frame or the puzzle pieces include a battery (or an AC adapter) and a visual or audible signaling device operating upon sensing the continuity of the conductive path. Each of the puzzle pieces may include three or more conductive pads, allowing for the forming two or more isolated or connected distinct conductive paths. The conductive path can further affect a time measurement and its related display for timing the puzzle solving.

The jigsaw puzzle includes a baseplate used with attachable puzzle pieces. The baseplate has multiple upward-facing engagement mechanisms that are engaged with corresponding and complementary puzzle piece rear-facing engagement mechanisms. The rear-facing engagement mechanisms and the complementary puzzle piece rear-facing engagement mechanisms are designed so as to leave an access space between the bottom of the puzzle piece and the top surface of the baseplate to facilitate removal of the puzzle pieces. A prying object (pry tool, user's fingertip, toy, or the like) can be inserted in to the access space to easily remove the puzzle pieces after play, storage, or display.

The Little Genius Puzzles Concept constitutes a revolutionary educational invention. It consists 4-dimensional, single-or multi-layered sensory motor puzzle models. They form a series of educational puzzles which are designed to teach persons, and particularly children, basic and more complex facts pertaining to any educational subject matter, e.g. reading skills, biology, science, history, geography, math, the concept of numbers and groups of numbers, etc., in a fun and very easy to use way. They form an incomparable educational aid both versatile and very valuable in the cognitive development of a learner, and especially in remedial teaching situations. It can readily be used in a one: one teacher or parent: learner/child situation, in urban or rural areas, where there is no supply of electricity. Because children love doing puzzles repetitively, the successful assimilation of the educational aspects is assured.

System and method for additional amusement, entertaining and surprising visual or audible reward provided upon completing the reconstructing of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle pieces include conductive pads connected by a conductor such as a wire, a metallic strip or a conductive paint, so that upon assembling the puzzle, the pads are in contact to form a continuous conductive path. The frame or the puzzle pieces include a battery (or an AC adapter) and a visual or audible signaling device operating upon sensing the continuity of the conductive path. Each of the puzzle pieces may include three or more conductive pads, allowing for the forming two or more isolated or connected distinct conductive paths. The conductive path can further affect a time measurement and its related display for timing the puzzle solving.

System and method for additional amusement, entertaining and surprising visual or audible reward provided upon completing the reconstructing of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle pieces include conductive pads connected by a conductor such as a wire, a metallic strip or a conductive paint, so that upon assembling the puzzle, the pads are in contact to form a continuous conductive path. The frame or the puzzle pieces include a battery (or an AC adapter) and a visual or audible signaling device operating upon sensing the continuity of the conductive path. Each of the puzzle pieces may include three or more conductive pads, allowing for the forming of two or more isolated or connected distinct conductive paths. The conductive path can further affect a time measurement and its related display for timing the puzzle solving.