Is there a way to anchor multiple objects to a surface? For example, I want to make a word out of rectangular blocks (long side vertical). I then want to "anchor" all these blocks to a surface which is in the shape of radial propagating wave (like when you see after a water drop hits still water). The wave will be invisible, thus leaving only the word made up of blocks where the blocks are all shifted vertically because of the radial wave. I'm a beginner with using Blender and would like to learn as much as a can. Thank you for any help.

manual way: turn on snapping and set it surve i guess (if you "wave" is a mesh)

but you can certainly use modifiers, maybe even Wave together with Array.

you can also align objects to a curve, if i'm not mistaken using Curve modifier.
_________________
I'm sitting, waiting, wishing, building Blender in superstition...