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King AVMA the III
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Finally inheriting the title after 70 years.
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(Tuj) Absence of something? YES.
Related to death?
(Tuj) Death? NO.
Vacuum?
(Superman) Vacuum? Interesting - good thinking, but alas NO.
A haitus?
Or a hiatus?
(Projoy) A hiatus? NO.
Is the AOTC a verb?
Does it involve a concept from physics?
(Tuj) A verb? NO. Not even in American English.
(Bis) A concept from physics? YES.
Related to meteorology?
(Raak) There is a link but the AOTC is quite independent of meteorology. So the answer is NO.
Hole in the ozone layer?
(RtG) NOT the Ozone hole.
thoughtlessness?
(Projoy) Thoughtlessness? NO.
Is it a two word answer?
(Chalky) 2 words? YES, but one is the definite article.
Does it exist now?
(that is, in whatever sense an absence can be considered an existing thing)
(Raak) Currently in existence? YES, somewhere.
The heavens?
The Truth?
(SM) NOT the heavens *some audience appreciation*
(Chalky) Boris' nemesis? Alas, NO.
The place, somewhere in the Earth's surface, where (mathematicians assure us) the horizontal wind velocity is zero?
(*on)
(Raak) The essential calm? Er, NO, though there is a possible connection with the AOTC.
Night?
YES - BISMARCK HAS IT! The AOTC is actually The Night but that's near enough or we'll be here, er, all night. I hand you the illuminated baton - you can switch it off when the light improves.
I reckon this is a THHGTTG "Thumb" in disguise. Anyway, the next card has something that is ABSTRACT but could be argued to be MINERAL. If you look over there, you can see Nadine Dorries performing a mime of the subject in a monokini, as the Mystery Voice announces the answer to the audience.
Does it begin with P?
[Ros,Bis] Bravo!
A stoning?
Golden handshake?
The Rock of Ages?
Sandwich Light Vessel? Nope, just some Tupperware
[Tuj] No. We are p-empty.
[Rosie] Not stoning of any kind.
[Chalky] No Midas touch here.
[Raak] Not a rock of any kind, nor a roll.
Is the mineral rock?
A phrase or saying?
Is it a geographic location?
Is it a mythical thing?
The massed choirs of the Mothers' Union will now sing the shipping forecast to the tune of "Deutschland über alles".
[Rosie] No. Please pay attention.
[Simons Mith] Not a phrase, saying, meme, idiom, slang expression or quotation, except insofar as any arrangement of words as the AOTC be a phrase, saying, etc.
[Tuj] Not geographical. Some of the audience shows signs of appreciation.
[Raak] That's a miss.
The wilderness?
A hill-top?
Superconductivity?
North Utsire, South Utsire...
[Simons Mith], [Rosie] - not IN THE SLIGHTEST geographical.
[Raak] On the scale of perfect insulation to superconductivity, the AOTC is not to be found.
Found on Earth?
Heavy metal?
Dogger, Cromarty and Forth...
[CdM] Yes. <>[Simons Mith] If you really want to pursue the mineral side, then yes, there is a reference to metal, though not music.
Dogger, Cromarty and Forth...
[CdM] Yes.
[Simons Mith] If you really want to pursue the mineral side, then yes, there is a reference to metal, though not music.
A cloud's silver lining?
A pot of gold?
North-west backing slowly, showers,
[Simons Mith] No. Not meteorological either.
[Raak] No. No P's, remember.
Hint: The metal is not explicit in the AOTC. It's sort of inferred.
Is the sort of inferred metal ferrous?
Is it a CGI generated character?
Nine hundred and ninety, good.
[CdM] Yes - may contain traces of brass or white metal, but it's largely iron and steel.
[Chalky] No CGI.
Cold steel?
They don’t like it up ‘em.
To do with emotions or temperament?
German Bight and Tyne and Fisher
[Raak] Cold if not working, otherwise quite hot.
[Simons Mith] Some people no doubt get turned on by the AOTC, but it isn't anything to do with emotions.
Striking while the iron is hot?
Force eight, cyclonic, raining, poor.
[Raak] No. (The iron does form a machine of a specific type.)
Is it hypothetical?
By which I mean something like a thought experiment or philosophical concept
But Forties, with all the oil rigs
[Tuj] No.
Any connection to music?
Would people have known about this in the year 1900?
Is it an abstract collection of machines, such as, oh, a steam fair or a tank regiment?
Anything to do with the arts?
A nice day is fairly sure.
[Chalky] No.
[Boolbar] Yes.
[Simons Mith] A collection of machines is implied.
[Projoy] There is a connection to the arts (or one of them).
Any connection to printing?
The telegraph?
Wasn't that something, give them a big hand.
[Boolbar] No printing.
[Simons Mith] Not telegraph, in fact not any sort of media.
Are these metal doohickeys, whatever they are, Preserved for the Nation or otherwise protected?
And now over to the Open Newt-fishing Championships at Rutland Water.
[Simons Mith] No, they are in use. There are a few in museums.
A collection of old steam engines?
Had to get that in
With only the ripple of the water and the occasional twig snapped by the camouflaged men and women engaged in this ancestral sport, one can hear the peeps and squawks of the unsuspecting newts.
[Rosie] The metal objects ARE steam engines, at least some of them are. The two remaining audience members offer polite applause. Now what is the abstract thing associated with this discovery?
Does the abstract thing apply equally to those members of the AOTC that are not steam engines?
Theromdynamics?
that's Thermodynamics
Omnes: Shush!
[Rosie] Yes. Hint: they are also trains.
[Raak] Not thermodynamics.
Travelling upon rails?
If so, are the rails travelled upon scenic?
Beclad in waders and an intense expression, Mrs Fortescue pounces and the net comes up in with not one newt but two! Perfect position and movement of the net has certainly won points from the judges.
[Raak] No. [Simons Mith] See previous answer.
Trains of gears involved?
A convention of steam engine enthusiasts?
Is it something to do with a journey?
Omnes: Shush!
[Rosie] No.
[Raak] That is getting a lot closer. No, but the audience likes it.
[Boolbar] No, other the evocation of travel that comes with trains.
Is the AOTC also the name of a film starring Ewan Macgregor?
(or Ewan McGregor, as he is more usually known)
We interrupt that fascinating duel between man and amphibian to bring you an update on the age of President Biden - 29,522 days, 16 hours, and 32 minutes. These figures may change.
[Raak] [Raak bis] Well, given the slow progress on this one I was considering whether I should accept that as an answer. However I have said that there is no 'p' in the answer and therefore I have to refuse. But you're very close. Alternatively, you are very far away, it depends on your point of view.
Hobby train driving?
Train enthusiasts?
They don’t like you if you call them trainspotters.
Ferroequinologists?
I found that one online; really liked it
We now proceed to our afternoon program of static, lull, and intermission.
[Raak] No.
[Raak] Not either.
[Simons Mith] Remind me to use that in the future. No.
Metalworking?
The railway network?
Beeching cuts?
Our next program, 'Obviously', where all those topics we all know stand to reason will be aired, will come this time on location from the top of the Clapham omnibus, and we'll be answering listener questions. This will be followed at six-thirty by News and Bother with Maureen Lipman.
[Raak] No.
[Simons Mith] No.
[Projoy] No.
Hint: the 'trainspotting' guess could have been accepted. What do aficionados do, or what is the content of their leisure activity?
Making lists of trains?
This question comes from a Mrs Trellis of North Wales. She writes, "Dear Obviously, it seems quite clear that the demistrile under Hardinge's Loop conditions leads only to a stalemate. Why does nobody seem to realise this?" Well obviously Mrs Trellis, that isthe solution to more than one tricky position in the second quadrant. But since Hardinge was once a member if the Socialist Party, his games have been unanalysed for some decades.
[Projoy] Not lists of trains.
[Bismarck] Aficionados spot trains, I suppose, and the content of their leisure activity is trains, the spotting of.
Painting graffiti on trains?
A Mr R.S. of Westminster writes: "Dear elector, the past three years have been one of growing prosperity for the UK. Crime has dropped, business confidence has grown, and we are now sending refugees to Rwanda. Surely it stands to reason that you want this to continue?" We reply:to Mr R.S. that it's not quite as obvious as all that!
[Raak] Not graffiti. But you're right to say that the content of their activity is spotting trains. We're just looking for the right way of putting it. Hint - film name.
Does "train" occur in the answer (including as part of a longer word)?
Trainspotting?
I used to do it. Paddington, platform 8.
It's 8:05, which means it's time for a timecheck. It's 8:05 and 8:06 is forecasted to occur within forty seconds. Let's wait and see how that turns out, hey?
[Raak] Yes. Genteel applause.
[Rosie] Hi, Rosie, nice to see you back in the game. Please look a page or so above for the answer to your question.
Train fanning?
Train enthusiasts?
Train geeking?
Train buffs?
Train mavens?
[Raak] No, no, no, no, no.
How about looking at it from the train's point of view?
A train museum?
Train Livery?
Model trains?
Can trains be supermodels? I am trying not to picture a 4-4-2 Atlantic strutting down a catwalk
What a surprise, it's 8:06. Different day, same time, but you can't step in the same stream twice unless you run quickly. Now an interview with an elephant that has forgotten! In this case to turn up for the interview. Hello, Nelly, are you there? [Silence.]
I'm going to hand this over to VAR owing to the closeness of 'trainspotting' before, if someone doesn't get this soon.
[Raak] No, we had that one.
[Chalky] No.
[Simons Mith] Not model trains.
Train drivers?
Is it to do with filming or photographing trains?
Or simulating them?
[Raak] Not really.
[Projoy] Yes, there is a link.
[Projoy] Not intentionally but by extension, possibly
A footplate video?
And that's it folks, this program is now closed owing to further notice.
[Rosie] Nope.
Anyway the entity known as Raak is declared the winner for getting "Trainspotting", whether or not it has a 'p' in it. The AO(T)C was "Closely Observed Trains", but the direction you were coming from, allied to how close "trainspotting" actually was, as well as the usual quantity of lines drawn and etceteras, means that VAR has forced my hand. Take this telescopic baton and go on to better things.

Ok, well then...
MINERAL with ABSTRACT and ANIMAL connections.
Does it begin with P?
No faffing.
[Tuj] Does not begin with P.
Is it unique?
Tis better to bounce than flounce.
[Tuj] The less misleading answer is no, not unique. (A pedant in the audience gets to his feet and begins, "Actually..." The chair cuts him off with, "We've read that Wikipedia article too, and yes, you have a point, but the answer stands.")
The fossil of a conodont tooth?
[Bismarck] Not that Wikipedia article.
(Addendum to previous) But on the other hand it is a definite specific thing.
Is it entirely metal?
A prosthetic device?
[Tuj] Entirely non-metal.
[Rosie] Not a prosthetic.
Is it a building?
[Chalky] Not a building.
Would it float?
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