Intellinitiative Game Co. Launches WORD SWEEP! Featuring Official Merriam-Webster Content

Boston, MA – - The "Definition of a Great Game" Features the #1 Name in Words -
Game maker, Intellinitiative Game Co., Inc., today announced initial shipments of WORD SWEEP!™, the first board game to feature official content from America's leading language reference publisher, Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Clay Siegert, President of Intellinitiative, said, “When we developed the concept for WORD SWEEP!, which is a challenging and entertaining family game based on definitions, we went straight to the most renowned name in words, Merriam-Webster.”

“We are pleased to work with Intellinitiative to incorporate Merriam-Webster dictionary definitions into the innovative board game, WORD SWEEP!,” said Hillary Hoffman, Director of Marketing for Merriam-Webster, Inc. “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.”

This new game from Intellinitiative arrives at an opportune time when word and mind games are extremely popular. “It is fortunate for us that as we release WORD SWEEP!, the popularity of Sudoku, crossword and word puzzles has grown so much,” Siegert continued. “There is even a current hit movie based on crossword puzzle tournaments. We could not have planned the timing of the product’s launch any better.”

WORD SWEEP! (MSRP $29.95) was co-invented by Intellinitiative and Steve Smith, a former middle school teacher from the Boston, Massachusetts area. Smith is 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 placed 88th in the 2006 tournament.

WORD SWEEP! is easy-to-learn, yet provides hours of challenging fun thanks to its patent-pending “guess-3-words-in-row” game play. 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.

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 at book stores and specialty retailers across the country 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.the80sgame.com, www.the90sgame.com and www.wordsweep.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


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