Holiday Fitness Trend: Play "Thinking" Games for Mind Workout

Boston, MA – Mental gymnastics is a fitness technique that will keep brains in shape this holiday season as the trend in “thinking" games like Sudoku and crossword puzzles welcomes the new game WORD SWEEP!Ô, the first game endorsed by Merriam Webster, Inc.

WORD SWEEP!, which tests players’ knowledge of word definitions in an original and clever way, was co-invented by Intellinitiative Game Co., Inc. and Steve Smith, an annual participant in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament hosted by The New York Times crossword puzzle editor, Will Shortz. The tournament is the subject of the new movie "Wordplay." Smith, a former middle school teacher from the Boston, Massachusetts area, placed 88th in the 2006 tournament.

Clay Siegert, President of Intellinitiative, said, “WORD SWEEP! is a new and creative way for people to engage in word and mind games. I’ve been describing the trend as ‘mental gymnastics’. It is like people playing sports to be physically fit. You can play a game to keep your mind in-shape too – and have fun too. However, unlike crosswords or Sudoku puzzles, WORD SWEEP! is a group game for people to play together. It’s perfect for the holidays when families and friends are gathered together.”

Thanks to its patent-pending “guess-3-words-in-row” game play, WORD SWEEP! (MSRP $29.95) is easy-to-learn and fun for everyone, yet sophisticated even for word gurus. To play, one player reads a card that contains three definitions of words which appear consecutively in a Merriam-Webster dictionary. Another player tries to guess all three words to make a “Word Sweep” before the timer runs out. If the “Word Sweep” isn’t solved completely, opponents can “steal” the remaining words. The more words guessed correctly, the faster players advance around the board to win.

“Games that rely on intelligence and an ability to think are a huge trend right now,” says Chris Byrne, contributing editor to Toy Wishes magazine aka The Toy Guy®. “What Sudoku and the newer craze Kakuro do with numbers, WORD SWEEP! does with words. These puzzles are more complicated than they seem and draw on word knowledge, sequencing, spelling and more skills, with the added dimension of entertaining social interaction.”

Hillary Hoffman, Director of Marketing for Merriam-Webster, Inc., said, “We are pleased to work with Intellinitiative to incorporate Merriam-Webster dictionary definitions into the innovative board game, WORD SWEEP!” Hoffman continued, “At Merriam-Webster, we are passionate about words, and we hope WORD SWEEP! will offer families an exciting new way to explore and enjoy language.”

WORD SWEEP! is for 2 to 4 players or teams, ages 10 and up. Using over 2,000 genuine Merriam-Webster dictionary definitions, the game contains three card levels and “junior rules” that can be integrated for complete family game play. “Every player is involved on every turn of the game,” Siegert added. “You’ll be amazed at the definitions you know and learn when you play WORD SWEEP!”

WORD SWEEP! will be available for purchase on BarnesAndNoble.com, as well as at select Borders and Barnes & Noble bookstores this fall.

About Intellinitiative Game Co.:
Intellinitiative Game Co., Inc., based in Boston, Massachusetts, creates, manufactures and markets entertaining products that inspire fun, interactive group play. What began as a start-up game business, founded by three sibling entrepreneurs in 2001, has grown into one of the industry’s leading independent game companies. Today, Intellinitiative’s product line features both original and licensed titles such as VH1’s I Love The 80s Game, The 90’s Game® and Merriam-Webster’s Word Sweep!™ that are sold online and internationally in more than 3,000 retail stores. Intellinitiative’s games invite everyone to interact and have fun while creating lasting memories with friends and family. For more information, visit www.wordsweep.com, www.the80sgame.com and www.the90sgame.com.

About Merriam-Webster:
Merriam-Webster, Inc. acquired the rights to revise and publish Noah Webster’s dictionaries in 1843. Since then, Merriam-Webster has maintained an ongoing commitment to innovation, scholarship, and love of language. Today, the company continues as the leader in both print and electronic language reference publishing with reference products, learning tools, and word games. For more information, visit www.Merriam-Webster.com.

For Product Sales Information, Contact:
Clay Siegert – 1-866-752-9807 – www.wordsweep.com


® Merriam-Webster is a registered trademark of Merriam-Webster, Inc. ©2006
™ Word Sweep is a registered trademark of Intellinitiative Game Co., Inc. ©2006