Failures
Lori wrote to me asking if I had examples of the failures of famous inventors. Lori, Thomas Edison had many failures, please read my page dedicated to his invention flops. Lori, I can also point to countless examples of how inventors turn failures into success. Patsy Sherman failed to invent a new kind of rubber for jet aircraft fuel lines, however, she turned her failure into a successful product called Scotchgard.
Copyright or Patent?
Ken wanted to know if he should copyright or patent his word game/puzzle. Ken, it could be either or both, you can both patent and copyright the same game, and even trademark it. Please read Do I need a patent, trademark, or copyright? and my basic article on patents to help you determine if you qualify for a patent. Copyrights and trademarks for you are very likely. Rubik's Cube was never patented, only the fabulous name was trademarked. You might also want to read my interview with game designer Tim Walsh. You can also read more about licensing. Do a consultation with an intellectual property lawyer to be certain about anything.