157:, whose object is to guess a word chosen by another player by revealing specific letters. Probe extends the number of players to a maximum of four and introduces additional game elements that increase the levels of both skill and chance. Like Hangman, each player has a secret chosen word. But unlike Hangman, the game ends when the last word, not the first word, is revealed. All players remain in the game until the end. It was created by Ted Leavitt and licensed by him to Parker Brothers.
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rack can hold up to twelve cards, with a point value assigned to each card position: 5-10-15-15-10-5-5-10-15-15-10-5. The cards are used to spell out each player's secret word face-down on one of the racks. For words less than 12 letters, blank cards may be used at one or both ends of the word to disguise its true length. Game version #202, introduced in 1976, replaces the letter cards with strips of paper on which the letters are written, and doors snap into place to cover them.
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play continues for the turn-holder, who may address another question to the same player or switch to a different player. His turn ends when he finally gets a "no" answer. If any cards were turned up, the point values underneath them are added to turn-holder's score. If any were the last card of a word, a 50-point bonus is added. If the turn ended by asking for a blank (and hearing "no"), a 50-point penalty is assessed.
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An optional way to start each turn is for the turn-holder to first draw from a deck of "activity" cards, which adds an element of luck, such as "Take an additional turn" or "Triple the value of your first guess". Another option is to designate one player to keep track of the "no" answers that occur
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In the most basic form of the game, the turn-holding player asks any other player if he has a particular letter of the alphabet hidden on his display rack. If the answer is "no", play simply passes to the next player in sequence. Otherwise, the player turns up any one card showing that letter, and
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The original game set includes four plastic display racks and four decks of 96 cards. Each card has either one letter or a blank on it. Each deck has 5 each of A, S, blank; 3 each of B, H, P, W, Y; 2 each of J, Q, V, X, Z; and 4 each of all the other letters. Each display
213:, by offering him a chance to meet Monteux. Eighteen years later, in 1981, annual sales were 200,000 units per year, and Leavitt had lived in Spain for 15 years from the royalty income, which was $ 0.225 per game sold. Some years his annual royalties came to $ 45,000 ($ 151,000 in 2023 dollars).
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At any time during the game, a player can interrupt the game and ask another player (who has at least five unexposed cards) if his word is a specific word. If successful, the inquiring player earns the point value of all unexposed cards, plus 100 bonus points. If incorrect, the inquiring player
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When only one player has unexposed cards, the game continues for two rounds, excluding the player with unexposed cards. If that fails to reveal the word, the values of the remaining cards and the 50-point bonus go to the excluded player.
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in their "Top 100 Games of 1980", praising it as "a classic" even though at that time players wrote words on paper "instead of using the handsomely printed deck of cards to form words as in the original Probe (1964)".
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Words are required to be regular words of the language played by the participants, and not include proper names or trademarks. The rules are similar to
Scrabble. The 1972 retail price was approximately
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and devised Probe specifically to get around them. To bring his finished creation to the attention of Parker
Brothers, he enlisted the services of his uncle, the notable French conductor
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Ted
Leavitt, a sometime salesman, ship's purser, actor, World War II Marine veteran, and theatrical producer, became frustrated with some of the limitations he saw in
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If two people play the game and each uses two display racks, then a player can turn up a requested letter in either word.
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The bottom of game box #200 provides a succinct description of the game and its advantages vs similar games.
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during play, so that turns aren't wasted on redundant inquiries, and there are no disputes at the end.
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in their "Top 100 Games of 1982", noting that "The equipment has been improved since last year."
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Schmittberger, R. Wayne, ed. (November 1982). "The Top 100 Games 1982".
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153:. It is reminiscent of the simple two-person game
100:High, with optional use of random "activity" cards
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318:, Palm Beach Post, April 13, 1981, pages B1–B2
56:1964 (#112 and #200), 1974 (#201), 1976 (#202)
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90:30-60 minutes, depending on number of players
377:"The Playboy winner's guide to board games"
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293:, Palm Beach Post, April 13, 1981, page B1
262:The Playboy Winner's Guide to Board Games
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363:"Games and Puzzles 1973-03: Iss 11"
23:4 different boxes for the same game
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365:. A H C Publications. March 1973.
302:The complete rules are available
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316:In the Cards: His Claim to Fame
291:In the Cards: His Claim to Fame
722:Board games introduced in 1964
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351:. No. 33. p. 42.
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328:"Top 100 Games of 1980".
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74:Rule variations for 2.
35:#201, #112, #200, #202
732:Parker Brothers games
98:Low/medium (guessing)
621:Rom the Space Knight
615:Cabbage Patch Dreams
498:Mansion of Happiness
116:Spelling, vocabulary
254:Games & Puzzles
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239:magazine included
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87:Playing time
64:1964 to 1982
61:Years active
554:Tiddlywinks
463:Aggravation
161:Description
143:parlor game
53:Publication
716:Categories
578:Electronic
147:board game
79:Setup time
217:Reception
105:Age range
82:5 minutes
694:Only in
686:Category
540:Scrabble
505:Monopoly
203:Scrabble
193:$ 6.00.
108:8 and up
561:Touring
484:Gambler
470:Authors
379:. 1979.
247:Reviews
197:History
155:Hangman
121:Website
69:Players
700:Canada
658:Hasbro
630:People
593:Merlin
586:Bop It
547:Sorry!
477:Cluedo
113:Skills
95:Chance
663:Tonka
526:Probe
519:Pente
512:Ouija
455:Board
400:Probe
348:Games
331:Games
269:Notes
241:Probe
236:Games
228:Probe
223:Games
141:is a
139:Probe
126:Probe
17:Probe
698:and
533:Risk
304:here
403:at
257:#11
145:or
129:at
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191:US
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
